Cursed
by Lonersoforlorn
Summary: Something is amiss, in the Isle of the lost. A different life is awakening in certain citizens of the Isle. Some dreaming of a world where they are no longer bad, giving up their wicked ways for good. Others haunted by their failure, and their deadly fates. What's going on? And who's causing it? Follow Uma and the other villain kids as they search for answers.
1. Sweet Dreams

My whole life feels as if it never existed. I dream of another world, the one where the only place I call home is the deep cerulean sea. I swim deeper and deeper, feeling freer than ever before. The sea was mine, and I was the seas. We were lovers embracing tightly, I couldn't let go. I didn't want to. I look up and see the sun sparkling down onto the sea. My braids float around me, and I smile, this was home. This was where I truly belonged. My necklace suddenly began to glow and I felt a sharp pain in my throat. _Sing to me._ That's not my voice, who is that? How? The voice, did it come from my mind? That's impossible. _Sing to me_. I scream, and something grabs my leg. No!

It drags me down, lower and lower. The sea gets darker and murkier. My screams get more panicky, as I struggle to pull my leg free. The pulling stops and I quickly look down at my legs gasping in shock, as I see a tentacle wrapped tightly around it. The tentacle was huge, definitely, twice my height and its grip firm. It could have easily wrapped its self around my whole body. There was no way I would get free; I look around searching for anything to pry it off. Desperately, I decide to reach down knowing, it would be fruitless. I had to try. As I hopelessly try to unravel myself something grabs my mouth, I instantly recognize it as a human hand. The hand grips my mouth tightly the owner's sharp nails piercing into my skin.

"You can't escape your fate Uma," A deep feminine voice informs, her tone dead and dreary. She continues on somehow gripping my face even tighter. "I mean you are your mother's daughter." The voice shrilly laughs and pushes me forward.

I instantly turn around and nothingness was there to greet me. Suddenly, a metallic smell hits me, and I look around and see the once cerulean blue water turn red. Was that blood? The sea is turning to blood. I begin to panic, and a sharp pain stabs me in the head. _YOU WON'T ESCAPE UMA._ The voice was screaming, telling me I'll fail like my mother. _Shut Up._ I scream in my mind. I was no longer scared now but angry. This has gone on for too long now. I feel a sharp jab in my throat and I open my mouth. Water starts gushing in, except it tastes like blood, and I was drowning in it. This was a dream. This is a dream! Shouldn't I be able to breathe underwater? What is happening?

My eyes start to feel heavy, as the pain I was feeling seems to numb. Am I dying? Is this how people die? I'm scared. I can't die like this! Wake up! Wake up! I jolted out of my slumber, my heart beating fast. What was that? That nightmare felt too real. I died. That was awful. I laid back into my bed, my breathing still erratic.

That was unlike anything I've ever dreamed of before. What does it mean? I look up at the ceiling trying to calm my breathing and failing miserably.

My mother sharply yells my name her brassy voice bouncing off the walls. I promise you that woman can smell fear. I slowly rise out of bed, praying my body would calm.

"What?!" I yell back, my voice shaky. I wanted to slap myself, I knew better than to show weakness, especially to my mother.

"Why are you still here? Shouldn't you be at the restaurant, doing your job?!"

I roll my eyes feeling agitated, I just finished working a late shift last night. Just as I have many nights before because apparently, I have nothing better to do! Luckily, it was a school day, not that it meant anything on the Isle. At least that wretched school would get me out of work.

"I can't mom, I have school," I sweetly notified, feeling repulsed by my words I gag.

My heart was still pounding in my chest, nothing has ever affected me like this before.

"Ugh, don't talk to me like that ever again!" She condemns disgusted."Fine, go to your silly school but as soon as it's over..."

I cut her off and continue annoyance evident in my voice, "Yes, I know straight to the restaurant." _It's not like I had anything else to do. Oh no, me actually having a life? One would perish the thought because obviously, my life is just me working and serving in my mother's restaurant for all eternity._ Life, if we're being technical. Although, if my mother could, she'd have me doing the same thing in the underworld. _Great._ I think sarcastically to myself.

"Faster you're out of here, faster you can hurry home and work. Now get!"

I don't say a word in response and hurriedly run to the bathroom outside my room. I quickly shower grabbing my towel and run back to my room. There I go to my closet and choose my choice outfit, a dress, a jacket, and some boots. My signature necklace was already on because I never parted with it. My necklace, I didn't even think about the role it played in my dream. It started glowing and, I died.

I instinctively touch my necklace and examine it closely. It looked fine, it wasn't glowing or doing anything odd. I did have a piece of my mother's old necklace in there, but there was no magic on the Isle. And it had been years, decades since a voice possessed the necklace. I dropped the necklace, and let it fall back on her chest. I'm over thinking this; it was just a dream. I needed to let it go. I breathe calmly and quickly change, grabbing my fingerless gloves from my nightstand. I slip them on and walk to my window.

I peek outside and see some kids begging for scraps. I glare at the street feeling a rush of anger. This is the price that villain kids had to suffer. We did nothing wrong, and yet we were forced to live in poverty. I turn from my window and leave my room. I quickly walk down the stairs and reach the entrance.

"I'm leaving, if you even care, which you don't," I scoff quietly, opening the door.

Knowing my mother her face was probably glued to her TV. She loved watching Soap Operas, which is surprising since she loves nothing. Especially me, her own daughter.

I don't know why this bothers me so much, why did I even care? It was so pathetic, but I couldn't help but long for her to speak to me like she cared. Just once. It was never going to happen, of course, it wouldn't we were the bad guys. We don't get love. It's something, we'll never understand. Something intended for Heroes only, but what makes them deserving of it? How are they good and we evil?

They revived my mother from the dead, just to trap her on this Isle, and they doomed me to live out the same fate as her. What have I done wrong? What has any of the villain children done wrong? How are they good? They were sick if you ask me, absolutely disgusting. Even I'm not that cruel, but hey what did I know I was just a villain.

I leave the house closing the door quietly, as not to receive her wrath later for slamming.

I walked aimlessly as I take in my surroundings. Kids were coughing and crying, their parents leaving them to survive on their own. They begged for food, anything edible really. It was so depressing. I look at the buildings; they were all on the verge of collapsing. It reminded me of the people on the Isle, all of us falling apart.

The funny thing was we didn't care, well I guess that isn't true. We cared for revenge. We were all exiled by the King to live on this isle for our parent's crimes. He doesn't see us as innocent children, that have suffered under our parent's abuse for years. No, we're bad by blood, we didn't really have a choice on the roles we played. You're either wicked and survive or you die.

If the king wishes for evil, for us to bear the burden of villainy. I'd happily oblige. I would be even worse than my mother was and I will destroy everyone in Auradon's happiness. They deserve to suffer as everyone on the Isle has. I heard something being chanted and froze when I recognized what they were saying. I gripped my hand into a fist when I recognized who.

"Shrimpy," Mal sings.

Mal's Mother and mine had a rivalry from before we even existed. That rivalry passed on to Mal and I. Mal was the worst of the worst. The Queen villain of the Isle. She made my life hell. And the worst thing was I could never beat her. No matter how hard I tried, how smart I was. Mal always won. Luckily for me, I had a mother that constantly berated me and reminded me of how much a failure I was. Every single day.

"Harry, your friend is being mean to me." Mal cries in a faux-innocent voice. She plays with a strand of her dark purple hair and gives me a hidden smile. I narrow my eyes and give her a pinched expression.

Harry was right beside her, wearing the same thing he always wore. He had the same black hair, and raccoon eyeliner covering his face. He looked the same and even acted the same. Yet, it was a stranger that was looking at me. His light blue eyes making it their mission to stay glued to my face, only lowering down to glance at my mouth. I gave him a look of disgust. It's been months since we last spoken, as he's now dead to me. That's what happens when you choose an evil deranged pixie over your best friend. Since childhood, I might add.

"He's not my friend."

Harry doesn't say a word. No crazy manic comeback, not even a psychotic laugh. He just looks gravely disappointed. I give a hair flip and an eye roll. He should have thought about our friendship before he started hooking up with her. I glare at him and Mal. I was angry at them both. Harry for abandoning me, and Mal for being the most terrible person to have ever existed. I admit I was slightly envious, I wished to prevail as the most terrible on the Isle.

Yet somehow, Mal always found a way to do something so vile, and nasty, it was almost impossible to beat. I would figure out how to take that cocky grin off Mal's face, and I will rule the Isle. I fantasize about Mal being considered the weak one, and me the vilest of the vile. I must have been smiling because Mal eyed me suspiciously, before changing to a smug smile.

"Hurtful, you'd throw away all your precious childhood memories just because you're upset Harry likes me more. Newsflash shrimpy, everyone likes me more," Mal jeers haughtily, her voice full of arrogance and pride.

Her eyes seem to gleam at the thought of putting me in my place. I laugh bitterly, aggravated by the thought of saying another word to her. I had to end this before she declared herself the winner, like always.

"Believe what you want to believe dragon breath, I have better things to do than having this conversation with you," I informed, sauntering away with one last hair flip, but Harry's voice causes me to abruptly stop.

"Uma wait!" Harry yells desperately, I hear his footsteps and I find myself wishing I could turn invisible. "Can I just talk to you for a minute?"

"I have nothing to say to you," I respond disgruntled but in reality, I felt heartbroken.

Part of me wanted to speak to him. Maybe, it wasn't his fault, that he desired my worst enemy. Harry's flirted with plenty of others before, maybe he got tired of them all and decided he wanted to taste betrayal. _I can't believe he betrayed me._ I'm not sure what hurts more, the fact my best friend is with the girl who despises me. Or the fact I'm actually genuinely torn up about it.

This wasn't the emotions a villain felt. I wasn't allowed to feel like this, why was I being so stupid? I couldn't let this get to me. I had to let Harry go if he can make me feel like this, then maybe it's for the best, that our friendship is over _. You don't really feel that way._ Stupid conscious, I don't need. Evil people don't need a voice in their head telling them how they feel. I know I definitely didn't need it now at all times.

Mal's hysterical laughter brings me out of my thoughts. I listen for a couple of seconds, only to hear that she's berating me. I bite my tongue keeping myself from letting this conversation to continue. I quickly walk away, but not before hearing Mal yell loudly.

"You don't need her Harry! You've upgraded!" Mal yells nastily, as my feet move quickly to get away.

I finally reached the school and begin dreading going in. I knew Mal and Harry wouldn't be going today or any day. They always skipped school, preferring to spend time doing other 'activities'. Ugh, I hate their relationship. All the boys on the Isle and she had to choose mine.

Mine in a friendly way of course. Harry was my friend. My super close friend that said he'd never leave my side. What a liar. I shouldn't have expected anything less from a villain kid. Trust, trust was for the weak. _I don't need anybody._

Even so, I found myself contemplating hearing him out, part of me unable to give up on the first person I had ever called a friend. I shake my head thinking there was no use, it's all over. He had made his choice and now I've made mine. I make my way into the school and am greeted by the familiar dingy and cracked floors that I've come to know quite well over the years. Considering, how, I've spent my whole life in this school, well so did every kid on the Isle.

Every kid no matter their age sat in one classroom. Where we never actually learned anything, mostly, because our teacher preferred to spend all his time crying about someone named Esmeralda spurning him. Whoever she is, I didn't blame her not only did this guy look crazy. But I'm a hundred percent sure his obsession with her was top-level creepy.

I made my way into the classroom and sat in the back next to a window. The desk was creaky and shabby looking, but that didn't stop me from resting my head on it. I close my eyes and yawn.

"Hey, Uma! Trying to sleep again I see." A voice exclaims excitingly, I almost groaned in irritation, but hold back.

I'd recognize that voice anywhere. It was Gil. Annoying, to the max power Gil.

"Yes, and like always you're here to prevent it from happening." I raged silently, speaking through gritted teeth.

"You should really try sleeping at home, Uma. It's so much better than sleeping on these wooden desks."

"Do you think I would try to sleep here if I could rest at home?" I pointed out tensely, getting a little crossed.

"Your mom does work you a lot."

"A lot?" I respond incredulously,"Gil, I get like 3 hours of sleep at most because I'm working the late shift all the time."

"Yikes, that's not good. You need your rest." He cheerfully informs, "I make sure to get twelve hours of beauty rest. Gotta keep myself looking hot!" He remarks with a wink in my direction, and I roll my eyes. He kisses his bicep and I gag in disgust.

"Gil, just shut up." I snapped annoyed, glaring at him, as he holds up his hands feigning innocence. He looks away and I satisfied turn in the other direction.

I close my eyes again and hear a psst sound.

"Are you sleeping yet Uma?"

"No Gil, I'm not!" I angrily say, turning my face to glare at him once more.

"Just checking." He defended sadly, I almost felt a little bad. Gil was bothersome, but he did care. We were close friends, once, him, Harry, and I, when we were children. Gil drifted apart from us both, preferring the company of his brothers. Harry and I however stayed by each other's sides no matter what, till now. I, however, wasn't the type to control my temper, and I definitely couldn't control the fire flaring in his direction.

"I give up!" I declare fuming," I'm done trying to sleep."

"Why?" He asks genuinely surprised, and I lift my hands up in frustration, the irritation overwhelming me.

"Because you keep waking me up!" I scream, causing the room to come to an overbearing silence. "What are you guys looking at? Converse among yourselves!" I demanded.

Gil tried to talk to me once more and I raised a finger.

"No, you don't say anything ever!" I yell then whispered. "Zip it."

Gil did the zipping motion and turned away. I rub my eyes and stretch my body. It seems my request to the world for a peaceful sleep, will not prevail. At least this beats working all day at the restaurant. I spend the rest of the time daydreaming and contemplating the meaning of my dream. I knew I said, I would let this go, but I never had nightmares, mostly because I'm currently trapped living in one.

The more I thought about the voice I heard, the more I felt it sounded familiar. But who? It wanted me to sing. For what? Who sings under the sea? A girl can't even dream of being able to live under the sea anymore. There goes that fantasy. And the blood, I unconsciously touch my throat. Why?

I shook my head; I didn't want to think of this anymore. Maybe it's best if I didn't dream for a while anyway, I couldn't have a nightmare like that in school. I'm already seen as weak if I show fear in public. I'd be the laughing-stock of the Isle.

School ended up passing by quickly, and by the time I was at the restaurant I was hungry. I skipped lunch like always, I hated the food. As much as I hated the restaurant, the taste was something I've grown accustomed to. Besides anything is better than rotten apples. I went to the back and asked the cook to make me a plate of something. The cook obliged and I ate a decent meal. I dumped the plate in the sink and told the cook I was ready to start my shift.

My apron hung on a hook in the kitchen and I slipped it on slowly. I could feel myself agonizing about working all day. As if I had a choice to do anything differently? I grabbed the pen and paper I left in my apron pocket the night before.

"Time for work."

Have I mentioned how much I hate being a waitress? Because I really do? I may hate it more than I hate Mal. I didn't even think that was possible. The actual possibility of something being worse than Mal. Just on cue, because the world hates me, Mal walks in with Harry Hook by her side.

I run to them both, stopping them from walking in.

"You're not allowed in here."

Mal feigns hurt and grabs Harry's arm.

"We're paying customers; you wouldn't turn down paying customers would you?" Mal says innocently, batting her eyelashes.

"If they're you, then yes we do."

"I guess; we should take our money somewhere else." Mal commented, with a pout," Such a shame, I was looking so forward to having you serve me."

"That's never going to happen," I answered tightly, there was no way I was going to serve her. _Not in this lifetime._

"Uma! Are you turning away a customer?" My mother shrieks and my body instantly stiffens; I didn't know she was here.

"No, I was just sitting them, mom." I give Mal and Harry a forced smile. _Does the world hate me?_ My eye twitches at the thought of serving Mal. _Yes, it does. The world definitely hates me._

Mal pushes past me and I lose my balance. I shut my eyes expecting to fall but nothing happens. I look up and Harry's arms were tightly wrapped around me steadying me up.

"Thanks."

He just nods his head letting me go, and walking towards Mal. I go over to another table taking their order, and Mal calls me sweetly. God, how I wish the world could just swallow her whole. I ignore her and focus on the table in front of me.

"Oh waitress," She calls with a sickening artificial sweetness. Did I mention I want the world to swallow her whole? Because I do. I really truly do.

"What?" I ask annoyed, writing the last dish on the table in front of me's order.

"I'm ready to order!"

"That's so nice, now try something called waiting."

"I'm bad, the worst in fact." Mal ranted, venom dripping from her voice," I don't wait." She proclaims hotly, placing her arms on her chest in a sign of defiance. I raise one eyebrow and give her a fake smile.

"Well look at that you're going to have to learn because I'm busy."

"The service here stinks," she impatiently informs Harry who doesn't respond.

"We always set our service to match our customer's attitude."

I ignore Mal grumbling under her breath and take the order I just took to the kitchen, instead of placing it on the serving hatch as usual. The chef eyes me with suspicion asking why I've decided to personally deliver the order. I give them a breathtaking smile, and insist, I give the best premium service to this particular customer. The more I act interested in these customers, the longer it'll take to serve Mal and Harry.

Ugh, but I am not looking forward to actually doing my job. He shrugs, ignoring my suspicious behavior and goes back to cooking. I wait patiently, for the food to finish, and place it on a plate. I grab the plate and walk out of the kitchen. Mal is still at the table with Harry complaining and irritated I was wasting her time.

I fought the urge to put a smug look on my face and walked over to the table that ordered and placed their food in front of them. Reluctantly, I walked over to Mal and Harry's table wishing both of them would just leave already. These were the last people I wanted to serve. I wish there was an option to serve no one. Life is never fair, that's for sure.

"What do you people want?"

Mal gives a toothy smile and rubs Harry's arm. I shoot her a disgusted look, wishing I could bleach that image out of my mind.

"Talk about bad service," Mal chides, pretending to look at the menu. I wait for a minute, before instinctively tapping my foot. Ugh, I wasn't in the mood for her games.

"Order, now," I commanded, about to lose my patience and let them both eat whatever was on the floor. In fact, I should do that. My mother would have a fit though, she hates it when she loses a potential customer.

Harry moves his lips to speak, but Mal doesn't let him get a word out, "We'll take two fried fish fillets and two set of fries."

"She even orders for you now, adorable." I quip writing their orders down on the pad in my hand.

"Uma," He warns, and I give him a try me look. He immediately backs down, another expression passes on his face, one I don't recognize. I ponder what it might be for a moment before Mal snaps me out of my thoughts.

"Why are you still here? Shoo."

"Whatever," I mumbled, walking away from the table and to the serving hatch, placing their order there. I wait at the bar feeling bored out of my mind. I wish time could move quickly, so I can go home and sleep in my bed. Not that I would be there long because knowing my mother she'll wake me up and tell me it's time for another shift.

And it felt even worst because of my best friend, the only person I care about, is dating my worst enemy. I groaned loudly in frustration and the restaurant was silent. Mal laughs, and whistles weirdo. I glare in her direction, feeling overwhelmed with frustration and stress. Will these feelings ever end? And why is everyone still looking at me!

"What is everyone looking at?!" I yell, at the customers irritated, and they all go back to what they were doing before.

Ten or fifteen minutes later, the bell rang indicating, that Mal and Harry's food was ready. I reluctantly grab the tray, wishing I could dump it all on Mal's head. I walk over and dropped the tray on the table, Mal and Harry both glaring at me.

"Oops." I emitted sarcastically.

"It's fine," Harry says tensely, Mal looks at him angrily, clearly wanting to argue.

"Peacemaker doesn't look good on you Harry."

"I love mayhem just as much as you, Uma," He points out, and I laugh. Of course, I loved mayhem, but Harry was a straight up sadist for it. I was always the one holding him back, with Mal, he's been living out his sickest twisted fantasies.

"That's debatable, look I'm done with the talking, just eat your food and leave."

I briskly walk away, ignoring the words Harry and Mal were throwing at me. Mal was throwing maliciousness, while Harry was pleading for me to speak to him. I wish Mal and him would leave me alone. I don't even understand what Harry see's in Mal. She's boring, and not that great I might add. Sure, Mal is pretty by certain people's standards and the most wicked. She also has the most turf and is the most admired person on the Isle. Still, it didn't make sense! Harry was so much better than Mal. He could do so much better than Mal. Why would he choose her? _I sound jealous._

No, I'm not, Harry is just my friend. Stupid mind with its silly meaningless thoughts. Dating wasn't even a thing on the Isle. Love is frowned upon, and actually admitting to being with someone, wasn't approved of. Mal, of course, loves to push the limit of the Isle, not that it ruins her popularity. I watched as Mal and Harry ate, Mal throwing fries and him catching it in his mouth. Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting.

They finally left, deciding to cause mischief elsewhere. I was glad because I couldn't take any more of that awful torture. Of course, I have the joy of staying here to wee hours of the night. Serving people. _What an absolute wonderful joy._ Did I mention, I hate my job? Cause I hate my job. Not only do I hate my job. I hate my life and I hate Mal. And I hate Harry, for leaving me! Strike out, that last part. I could completely care less about my oldest and dearest friend abandoning me for some harlot. Who also happens to despise me!

 _God, I miss him._ Why do I miss him? This is weakness Uma. And you can't afford to have one, I need to have strength. It's the only way I'll survive here.

My shift seems to last forever, my mother had already left hours ago, leaving me to manage the restaurant as always. Finally, the last patron had left in a drunken stupor, I could go home. I could sleep, and I wanted to sleep forever. It beats living out this course of life. As soon as the rest of the staff was gone, I closed up for the night.

The walk home, was long, as I tried to ease my mind, from my earlier stressful thoughts. When I arrived home, I slowly walked into my room, feeling miserable. I slipped off my boots, and dropped myself on my bed, quickly drifting off to sleep. Ignorant, of what was to greet me, in the world of dreams.

 **A.N.** Hi! Thanks for reading, sorry for any errors or anything. This story is a character study of all the descendant's characters, so there'll be pov changes. One of the things that struck me in the sequel, was Mal giving up all her character development to be evil again, which I thought was ridiculous. So, this will be further explored in this story, among some other things. In this world, Ben, never asks to bring over the VK's, so the timeline is the beginning of Descendant's 2. Anyway, Thanks again for reading, will try to update as soon as I can!


	2. Cause I'm Evil

It's not easy being evil, it's a constant struggle. Every evil deed essentially must outshine the next. And you can never do the same thing twice, it's a bore and you become a predictive villain. The best thing was to keep doing a variety of nefarious deeds, never let the people know what you're planning. Always keep them on their toes.

My mother, however, disagreed, evil had rules, hers. Misdeeds under my mother's watchful eyes were extremely frustrating. I tried my best to strive to her standards but always fell flat in the end. Many nights I stayed up in my room, thinking of the most wicked things I could do. Putting them into action the next day, only to have my mother persistently inform me how I didn't try hard enough.

Mother was the most villainous and vicious of them all, making the pressure to fill her shoes daunting. My mother is Maleficent, yes that _Maleficent_. As if there is any other, well there's me, but I'm just a namesake. A hollow shell of evil, to the one, the true, the magnificent Maleficent. Yeah, I get that speech from her a lot.

She was the zenith of all things evil, I'm just hanging out in the bottom apparently. People cower just hearing her name, and I love it. She was a legend, an epic tale that could not be forgotten.

At my age, she was cursing whole kingdoms, and causing more havoc than I can ever dream. Though in my defense, my options were very limited. The whole being trapped on the Isle, for the rest of my life, kind of dampens the level of evil I can do. There's just so much one could take from people who barely had anything. Okay, let me rephrase that. People who have nothing.

Most of the residents live on the street, their beds spread out sporadically throughout the Isle. The average resident, really only owned the clothes on their back, and if they're lucky whatever scraps were left on the streets. I was evil, but even I found my surroundings, overly depressing.

I had more than average, obviously with my Mother being the leader of the Isle. I always had first pickings, when it came to the dive. And if I didn't get it, well I'd steal it. I even had my own apartment, preferring to live away from my mother because I needed space.

The walls of the apartment had murals covering them, some of me, some of my friends, Evie, Jay, and Carlos. And even one of my most hated foe, Shrimpy. I know what you're thinking. Strange, Who has a portrait of the person they despise on their wall?

Well, for one, there's a giant X over her face, so everyone knows how I feel, besides it's completely and utterly normal to have your most hated foe spray painted on your entrance wall. It was purely cautionary, in case Shrimpy ever had any ideas, of thinking she could come in here. She'd see her portrait with an X through it and go away. Anyway, I don't have to explain myself.

 _Where was I?_ Oh, yeah! I was explaining, how being trapped on the Isle, was causing me to not reach my true evil potential. There was no way, I could ever beat the curse my mother put on princess Aurora. It was flawless. The king and his wife, sent their daughter away, thinking they could escape her wrath. It was so cute, they thought they could beat my mother. No one escapes Maleficent. _Not even her own daughter._

 _No!_ I can't think like that! I'm happy living under my mother's shadow for the rest of my life. I mean, living up to her name. My mistake, I didn't sleep well last night, that's it. It's from lack of sleep, that these type of thoughts are slipping through.

 _Why wouldn't I be happy here?_ I didn't exactly, have anywhere else, you know, the whole being trapped on the Isle forever thing. So, I had my whole life set up since birth to become Maleficent 2.0. I mean, my mother even named me after herself, it was my duty to fill her shoes.

And I felt like I was doing the best with the potential that I have. I was the queen of the Isle, the most wicked, and the most beloved. No one could touch me, and yet I still found myself jumping hurdles to gain my mother's approval. If only, there was a concrete way to prove once and for all I wasn't weak. Why couldn't she see I was the best at being evil? I'll be the same level as her soon enough. _Hopefully._

Okay, I confess, maybe I've been having some weak thoughts. My earlier thoughts weren't exactly something I've just recently thought about. I keep having dreams, of a boy. I haven't a clue who he is, in my dreams, he has honey brown hair and looks pretty princely.

He wears a blue suit, and he's waiting for me at a lake. I walk closer, and he notices me, his hazel green eyes brightening, as he looks into my green ones. He says my name, and I feel an urge to listen to it on repeat. Again and again. I try to fight the urge, but I end up smiling at him, and he laughs happily in response.

My heart beats faster, and I feel disgusted with myself. This wasn't right, I shouldn't have these feelings. No, it was more than feelings. Desires? I thought of my Mother, how she would feel if she knew. I wanted to run, far away, and go back to the life I knew.

He waits patiently, asking me to come to him. I walk closer, and he tells me he missed me. That he's been searching for me. I feel overwhelmed, every time and take a step backward, wondering if this dream would release me. Would I be able to run? I didn't have the chance to because he begins walking towards me, asking me what's wrong.

It sounded weird, but I found myself wanting him. I wanted to get lost in this world and stay with him forever. It wasn't like me at all. It felt like a different me. Another Mal, in another life. He's getting closer, a bright smile on his face. _Breathtaking._

Something in the distance catches my eye, I scream as I realize what it is. He looks behind him, his eyes widen in startling realization. It was an arrow, and it pierced his heart. I wail in agony, begging for him to come back. I scream his name. _Ben._ The world around me begins to shatter apart, and I jolt awake, tears in my eyes.

Every night, this dream has come to me. It was haunting me, and I tried everything to make it go away. Ben. Who was Ben? Why did I feel that way when I looked at him? Why did I care if he died? This whole thing was strange, and it didn't make sense.

I tried everything, to make the dreams go away. I avoided sleep for days, spending my time doing endless mischief. And when my body called for sleep, the dream came again. I tried so many other things, hoping it'd go away. Hoping, I wouldn't remember those feelings. And that boy. _Ben._

So, I decided to date, the person everyone least expected, Harry Hook. Harry Hook, son of Captain Hook, was cute and charming. I enjoyed being around him, especially when we're causing terror around the Isle. His style of evil was more violent than mine, but I felt we complimented each other greatly. There was truly one flaw in our relationship, besides me dreaming, and possibly having certain feelings towards somebody else thing.

Our friends were the biggest obstacle between us. He didn't get along with mine, and I definitely wasn't going to get along with his. His best friend was Shrimpy. They've been best friends since they were kids, well until I came along. I had to admit, it was quite dastardly of me to go after him. But, I'm evil. Who cares?

My rivalry with Uma started when we were kids. I was better at everything, and she was pathetic. She once had the actual audacity, to come up to me and offer her friendship. Me? Have her as a friend? I never been more offended in my life and made sure to knock down that offer immediately. I decided to give her a new more fitting name and declared her Shrimpy, in front of the entire school. It stuck of course, and she's hated me ever since.

Shrimpy was the daughter of my mother's rival Ursula. Her mother had cursed, some sea princess named Ariel. She was like the daughter of her brother or something.I don't really know, but I heard their family tree is pretty complicated. Anyway, she convinces Ariel, to sign over her soul and voice.

Although, If you can do that, obviously the person wasn't that bright. I mean come on, sign your soul and get true love. Who'd sign a contract with such a catch? So, Ariel goes to the surface and meets her handsome prince, she's risked everything for.

Ursula, realizing that Ariel might actually get her man, comes to the surface, disguised as a beautiful temptress. Using Ariel's voice as her own, she sings to the handsome prince. Who drops sweet little Ariel his BFF, like a hot cake. It all fails, of course, cause evil always loses. Sadly, Ariel wins, gets her man, and lives Happily Ever After. Such an unhappy story.

Shrimpy was nothing like her mother, a sharp temper, a height complex, and a constant need to overcompensate. Oh, and let's not forget her obliviousness to the oh so obvious. She also has a delusional amount of self-confidence, which was hilarious because she always lost. And her sass, that was absolutely adorable. She tried so hard. It was too cute to believe.

She really thought she was bad, that she had a grace of ability to reach the epitome of true evil. Her biggest flaw was her tendency to let her emotions influence all her decisions. She'd never make a good villain. I don't even think she'd make a good henchman.

Though it hurts me to admit, she did have some pretty good leadership skills. Harry Hook, followed her like a lost puppy everywhere, before I came along and swooped him up. She had some classmates, who were her friends, and were a part of her now dispersed crew.

A crew I took down, by slowly turning everyone away from her. Plus, with a sprinkle, of constantly destroying Shrimpy's self-esteem, and confidence. I'd never let her have turf on the Isle. I rule this place, and I'll always rule this place. There is no room for rivals.

I played with the spray can in my hand, fiddling with the idea of making another self-portrait, when I hear a voice calling from the front entrance of my apartment. I stop for a moment and listen, It was Evie. I drop the can in my hand, not caring where it went, as I walked over to the entrance.

"Mal," Evie calls again, I pull the lever opening the answer tube, so she can hear my response to her.

"Hey, Evie!" I greet," Come on up." I shout down into the tube, as I pull the lever that opens the entrance.

She doesn't respond, and I wait, patiently, for her to appear. A couple of seconds later, Evie appears in front of me. A bright smile on her face as she happily greets me. She suddenly wraps her arms around me, and my body stiffens. It doesn't stop her from hugging me, as I look around the room awkwardly, after thirty seconds, she finally pulls herself away.

"What was that for?" I yelp confused, hugging wasn't exactly something we normally did at the Isle. Or at all for that matter.

"Just a reminder of how much I love and care for you," She responds in a rehearsed fashion as if she was repeating the words, like a mantra.

"That's such a goodie goodie thing," I say disgusted by the thought of doing anything remotely good, "We're bad Evie," I noted, looking at her with confusion.

"I know, I know. There's nothing good about me I promise." She assures, "Well except for my good looks." She giggles proudly, flipping her hair. Her eyes distant, and her face makes a flattered expression.

She was most likely, imagining her reflection, and owning a magic mirror of her own. I felt a little relief, that was the Evie I knew. The one that walked in, was more like a frazzled stranger.

"Okay, then good."

"I promise, I'm rotten-," Evie starts, "To the core." We both say in perfect synchronicity.

"You're being weird. Like super suspiciously, weird."

"M, I'm not being weird, promise." She swears, and then quickly blurts," Okay, I'm lying, I did come here to talk to you about something."

"That something being?"

"You see, Jay, Carlos, and I we had a meeting," She mutters, looking as she would rather be anywhere else, but here.

 _A meeting?_ Why would they have one of those and not tell me? I walk down the stairs, into the main room.

"Mal!"

I stop and look behind me, Evie walking down the stairs telling me it's not what I think.

"Are you guys planning on axing me out?"

 _Don't show that it bothers you. Put up a mask._

Evie nods her head no, grimacing at the very idea of kicking to me out. She walks over to me and places her hands on my shoulder.

"You're our leader, we're proud to follow you. Besides, you're also kind of my best friend. I'd be miserable without you."

"Thanks, you're my best friend too."

Evie gives me another one of those hugs, and this time I reluctantly pat her on the back. I really hope this doesn't become a common occurrence.

Evie ends the hug and sits on my bed, placing her bag on her lap. She pulls out her sketchbook and a charcoal pencil from it. And begins to lightly sketch, like she hasn't a care in the world. Wait, why did she come here in the first place? It seemed like she wanted to talk about something but what?

"Evie," I call, and she hums in response," What did you come here to speak to me about?"

Evie doesn't say a word, lost in her sketchbook. She was obviously deflecting, meaning she definitely didn't want to talk about whatever was currently ailing her mind.

If my theory is right, it's not her that wants to talk about this with me at all. In fact, it seems like two people, in particular, are using Evie as their mouthpiece.

"You're here about Harry."

"What? Why would I?" She responds her voice ridiculously high pitch.

"Let me guess, Carlos and Jay sent you?"

Evie laughs awkwardly, and tries and fails to come up with a good lie. I look at her in wonder, as I try to figure out how they brought her to their side.

"You don't like Harry either," I observe.

"What? Me?" She falsely cackles, stopping to draw to explain she had no issues with Harry Hook.

She's so lying. I think of how to approach the conversation. Do I change it or continue to dig in further? Who am I kidding, of course, I want to know what Jay and Carlos told her to say to me!

"You hate him. Admit it."

Evie can bluff no longer, and folds her hands, looking up as she begins to speak.

"If we're being technical, I hate everyone," She points out defensively.

"Evie, just say what Jay and Carlos told you to say."

"We think, it'd be best if you and Harry, maybe broke up?" She suggests quickly in one breath.

 _Way to be blunt_ _Evie_ _._ I think, caught slightly off guard.

"Broke up? You want us to break up?"

"Yes, it's just he terrorizes Jay and Carlos. Plus, the guy is obviously in love with Uma."

"Don't mention her name," I groan. Evie knew I preferred Uma to only be called Shrimpy, "They're just friends. " I defend, knowing it was useless.

Even I knew Harry and Uma played the weirdest cat and mouse game ever. Harry worshipped the ground Uma walked on, and Uma pretended to not notice. I guess. It didn't matter, he was dating me. I was with him, I'm sure his feelings for her would dwindle.

It's not like I could exactly judge, I was using the guy to get that boy out of my mind. I shouldn't say that I've developed a semi-like for him over these past few months. I know, he wasn't keeping the dreams away, and I still thought of that boy. But Harry and I have fun. I didn't want to dump him, not yet anyway.

"Are you sure?" She questions gently, "I saw his sister, she was complaining her brother was moping around at home."

"Harry wouldn't mope!" I laugh incredulous at the thought of Harry moping at home. It sounded so ridiculous. It couldn't possibly be true.

Okay, so I didn't exactly know what Harry did alone. I wasn't the prying type, but I doubted when he wasn't with me he was crying for Uma. He's the evilest, guy, I know, it was impossible.

"I think he misses her, M."

"They're friends, I guess, it's normal to miss your friend," I reason, not really believing what I was saying out loud.

"Harry does flirt with her, a lot."

That was the understatement of the year.

"Harry flirts with everyone," I point out. It was true, but it was so obvious who he preferred.

"True. But, Uma is special to him. Don't you think?"

"I guess, they're childhood friends."

Is this the main topic, the boys told Evie to speak about. Harry's undying love for Uma? I admit I was a little ticked off by it. It was admirable, how they were praying on my extreme dislike of Uma to break up my relationship. Very evil.

I'd be so proud if I wasn't completely and utterly annoyed right now. Evie decides to drop the Uma talk, probably because I looked like I was going to explode.

"I can't believe, you're breaking one of the biggest rules of the Isle," She argues.

Now, she's playing the Isle rule card. They really thought this through.

"I'm a rule breaker," I point out, "It's what I do." I continue with a smug grin and shrug my shoulders.

"But for Harry Hook of all people!"

I nonchalantly mumble an eh, feeling tired of this intervention. I grab the spray can, I dropped on the floor earlier, and shake it.

"My mother says you should only be with a prince or at least a duke."

"We're trapped on an isle, no prince is gonna knock on my door and confess his love for me," I state, holding back laughter. "Besides me with a prince? Could you imagine?" I cough in laughter unable to hold it back any longer.

That's something that would definitely never happen.

Evie's eyes widened. Oh no, not only was Evie in imagine mood, she was planning our double wedding.

"We'll have castles next to each other! And I'll design your wedding gown, and-" She beams with excitement.

"Stop!" I yell annoyed, "No imagining my wedding." I scold.

"You'd make such a lovely bride, Mal," She says, looking down at her sketchbook, probably making a bridal gown mockup.

"Evie, please," I beg.

She ignores me happily humming and drawing in her sketchbook.

"At least make the dress purple," I say, using the spray can on an empty spot on my wall.

I had no idea, what I was going to paint. Would I still go with my self-portrait idea? Or maybe another portrait of Evie?

"You know it!" Evie exclaims.

I turn back from the wall and smile at Evie. I let my hand freely move and feel surprised when I realize I was drawing his face.

I find myself trapped, unable to move as I drew the eyes I dreamed of every night. _Ben_. I drop the can frighten, and unsure. Why did I draw him? Why did I feel like I couldn't stop?

I feel a sharp stabbing pain, in my head. A voice not belonging to me, but I've grown familiar with, repeats its self in my mind.

 _"Mal, I love you." The boy, from my dream, says. Ben. His eyes locked on mine._

I groan in pain, as another scene unfolds before me. The lake empty, I'm crying, begging for Ben to come back. My dream.

Evie says something to me, but I can't decipher what. The voices in my head too loud, for me to hear anything else. The pain in my head stops for a moment, I hear Evie's footsteps. She's asking me what's wrong. I try to answer but a sharp jabbing pain strikes me in my throat.

 _"Ben, I've always loved you," I plead, with tears in my eyes._

Evie rushes to my side, she places both hands on my side trying to steady me. My legs feel like jello, and I fall, causing her to fall with me.

"Mal!" She screams, and I manage to look at her mouthing Ben.

Then everything turns black, and my last thought is the fear that maybe I won't wake up.

 ** _A.N._** Thanks to everyone that reviewed, and the users who added me on story alert. So, the next chapter will be in Uma's pov and then next back to Mal. This chapter was a lot longer originally, but I decided it was best to end on a cliffhanger. Also, Mal dreaming of Ben by a lake is canon in the books. Which, I found interesting since it's not really addressed in the movie. Honestly, Descendants canon is so disjointed, this fic will be grabbing random spouts from all universes.


	3. Mixed Emotions

It's raining, blood, every drop destroying something dear to me. I see my friends, Harry and Gil, and the rest of my old crew. They all start running towards me, and I beg them not to try to rescue me. Harry ignores my warnings and clutches his hook. He watches as the rain destroys everything in its sight. He gets a look on his face, a look I've become quite familiar with.

He was going to do something drastic and rash. I angrily warn him, begging for him to just let me be. He ignores everything as I scream, he runs rashly into the rain without a second thought. His eyes locked on mine, as I watch the exposed skin on his body melt away. His pace gets slower, but he still is coming in my direction. I cry calling him an idiot, as I look on and see the only remain of my best friend, was his skeleton. The rain gets harder, and it melts the remains that lied there quicker than before.

I wail my body heaving in panic and grief. The covering over Gil and the crew melts, leaving them to the same fate as Harry. My necklace glows, and I disappear in a flash of light mid-yell. I expect to fall to a hard surface but look around gasping as I recognize the place I'm in. _My Mother's lair._

I've heard my mother speak of this place, fondness in her voice as she recounts all her misdeeds with her babies. What were their names again? Flannelram and Jetpack? No, that didn't sound right. Oh! Flotsam and Jetsam, the only things my mother ever claimed to care for.

I tried to imagine the scenario many times. I mean my mother, caring for something? The whole concept seemed absolutely impossible. My mother's cruelty and neglect were all I knew. If she really cared for anything, anything at all. Why not me? The only thing I can truly imagine her caring for was an episode from one of her favorite soap operas. A living thing, however? Never.

I think about my friends, about Harry. _About what I care for_. I know I was in a dream, that this wasn't real. I felt like someone tore up my insides, as I recall what I had just seen. No, I can't think about it. I couldn't let myself be weak, not even in my dreams.

I wanted to yell, to scream, to curse the world. I couldn't, even think about showing emotions in my dreams. God, I'm so screwed up. I want to feel. I just want to feel for one moment, be normal. _Be like those Auradon kids_. They could show how they feel, they could love. They could be happy.

We're stuck stifling all our emotions, walking around like emotionally stifled zombies. I hated everything so much. No, I can't think like this. This is weak, and if I'm weak, that means Mal wins. _Close up your emotions. You can do this,_ I think to myself.

I think back to the time, I made the mistake of voicing to my mother, that I couldn't imagine her caring for anything. Now, when you walk into her office. Out of clear spite, my mother had a memorial painting commissioned of my lost 'brothers'. It made me furious. I plotted so many times to destroy it and ended up with a tentacle slapped to my face.

It didn't matter, I was over it now. I didn't need her love, I didn't need anyone's love. When you think about it not having love has made me so much stronger, I was never clouded by that weak emotion. _Liar_. Harry, Gil, and my old crew, all flash into my mind. Ugh, I can't deal with these emotions right now. It was too much. Everything was overwhelming me!

Grief, anger, and hatred, were not the best emotions to have simultaneously, let me tell you. I felt terrible. It was like someone threw a bucket of fish chum all over my head, and I couldn't tell who. So, I would have to go and yell at everyone, till all the anger went away. Till all the feelings just washed away.

I let the tears, I didn't realize I was holding back pour. I could be vulnerable, if only for a minute. My mother did so much, to make me feel terrible. I didn't exactly ask to exist or be her daughter for that matter. _Life was cruel. Life was unfair._ But, I keep asking myself why? Why did she treat me like crap? Why didn't she love me?

My grief turns back to anger and I yell in the empty, broken down room. I had to deal with my mother, and I had to deal with Mal's abuse. Sometimes, I really find myself wondering, how I survive at all.

I blink away my tears and look around the room. My vision was blurry, but I still manage to fully take in my surroundings. The place was falling apart, and everything was extremely brittle. There were potions scattered everywhere, some broken, others probably good to use.

My mother mentioned once or twice, that her lair was breaking down long before her defeat. One of the downsides of living inside a giant decaying skeleton, I guess. I swam further ahead and entered what I knew was my mother's throne room. It was nothing like my throne, a little gaudier maybe.

My throne belongs here. I should have lived my life under the sea, and been a true sea witch. I should have my birthright, and be able to feel the magic between my fingers. It wasn't fair!

I move to approach the throne, but my body doesn't answer the call. My necklace glows, lighting up the lair. I'm paralyzed by whatever entity is haunting, and now I'm blinded by the light. It was happening again.

Don't panic. I can't give them what they want. I must have the strength to overcome, I couldn't let them intimidate me. I was the daughter of a sea witch. The sea is my domain, my true _home_. Even if this was a dream, they couldn't do much to me here, right?

Least, I didn't feel that awful pa- _OW!_ As if on cue, the now familiar sharp pain appeared in my neck. I groan in pain, trying not to give the idea that they were winning. I won't let myself be defeated, and I will not show them my suffering. _You won't win this time._

 _Trying to fight, that's as useless as you are._

 _GET OUT OF MY HEAD!_

I hear a devilish laugh, inside my mind and I try to scream out in displeasure. Not a sound, is heard, as I realize my voice was gone again.

I was raging inside. I found myself haunted by the sight of seeing everything I love destroyed in front of me. Drowned, multiple times I might add. And now I'm trapped inside my mother's lair with this psychopath. A lair that felt like a reminder, that I'll never be a sea witch, just a daughter of one.

 _Uma._ The voice shrilly says my name inside my head.

 _LEAVE ME ALONE!_ I scream angrily, feeling frustrated by this whole sick game. They laugh again, this time heartily.

"I've been messing with you for so long," They brag, and I hiss inwardly in anger," And as fun, as it's been, I actually need you."

I found myself shocked, they listened, they weren't speaking in my head. _Did I just manage to intimidate the big bad messing with my mind? Who's weak now?_ I think proudly.

 _Still you_ , the voice spoke in my head. Seems I celebrated too soon.

"Look, I don't have time to deal with you and your many complexes. Someone's Awakening."

 _Awakening? What does that mean?_

"You don't need to worry about it."

 _That doesn't sound suspicious at all._ I respond sarcastically.

"I need you to stop it."

 _How about no?_

"Oh, you think you have a choice, okay, I'll humor you," They chuckle tartly and continue, "I'll give you an offer."

 _An offer? From you, I'll pass thanks. My mother was the queen of offers and there's always a hidden catch. There was no way I'd ever agree to anything. Especially, from someone whose tortured me, for months._

"What if I promise you, that Mal's defeat will be by your hand?"

 _Mal defeated_. That sounded right, no, it sounded amazing. I would never take the deal, of course, I'd defeat Mal by my own hand.

Sure, being the queen of the Isle instantaneously, sounded great. I'd be the best, the evilest, and everyone would know my name. Uma. It'd be such a shallow victory if I won it without lifting a finger.

 _Tempting, I admit, but I'll never take it._

"You have too much confidence in yourself. You'll never defeat Mal without there being 'intervention'." They inform, and I inwardly grumble.

 _I will defeat Mal, and no help needed especially from you, thanks._ I respond in my mind flippantly. This entity doubted me, like all the others. I'll show everyone, that I'm the best, and they'll all bow down to me.

"What about a handsome prince who holds Mal's heart?" They question, urgency clear in their voice. They were getting desperate.

 _A prince. Mal and a Prince? Are you kidding me? How? When? Wait, did she have a crush on the prince of Auradon._ I wonder how Harry will feel with this information.

"Ah, I forgot, your heart lies elsewhere," They remember teasingly," The pirate boy."

 _Oh no._ I felt a sense of dread, thinking of Harry in front of them was a terrible mistake.

"Harry, son of Captain Hook. Quite the looker." They proclaim seductively.

How did I approach this? I couldn't come off angry, they loved that. It might provoke them, they might actually hurt Harry. Could they?

This was a dream. _My dream_. This entity might haunt me in my nightmares, but could they actually hurt me, in the real world?

I needed to wake up, I had to get out of here. I have to figure out how to stop, whatever this is.

"I tried being nice, Uma." They complain, their anger building with every word, "But, you just have to get ideas in your head!"

Suddenly, a light sparks in front of my eyes, and my eyes widened in shock at what I see. It was Harry. Harry was in front of me.

No, that couldn't be right. That couldn't be the real Harry! Harry would never look at me with such hatred in his eyes.

"How about this," They suggest."I kill everything you love, including handsome right here." They violently say pointing to their well Harry's face.

I couldn't let them get to me. They couldn't know Harry was my weakness. I had to deflect, to convince them Harry was nothing to me.

Okay, so yeah he technically was now. My friendship with him was dead. Even if this entity didn't kill him, I didn't want it haunting Harry's dreams. I narrow my eyes in anger and hatred.

 _I don't love anything._ They laugh in response, Harry's laugh. They stare at me with Harry's light blue eyes, and I look away.

"I'll pretend I don't know, where your heart lies."

 _You know nothing. Harry and I aren't even friends anymore. I could care less what happens to him._

"Liar," They laugh as if my response was the funniest thing they've ever heard.

I didn't like talking about my feelings, especially with whoever this was. Let's say I did have feelings for Harry, they could never be acted on. I had to get revenge. I had to win. If Harry couldn't wait, then maybe it wasn't meant to be.

I glance back at fake Harry's face, he looks like he's listening. Wait, that's it. _Gods, I'm so stupid._ They couldn't just read the thoughts I projected. They could read _everything_ , I thought, and feel. How could I defeat someone who was all-knowing?

I had to get back to the real world. They were learning way too much about me here. It wasn't safe. I had to wake up.

They come closer to me, a knowing smile on their face. Their fake Harry disguise was good, I hated how good. My heart started beating a little faster at the closeness. They move in like they were going to kiss me, but at the last-minute change to my ear.

"Uma," They say my name just as Harry does, like an unanswered prayer, "You wouldn't let me die would ya?"

They pull away, their eyes in front of me again. I glare watching as they use Harry's face to do his signature pout. It was a perfect impression, and it terrified me. I scream internally. _How?_ _How did they know so much about Harry and his mannerisms?_

The screaming in my head caught them off guard, and they winced. Realizing they were now distracted, I chant in my mind for me to wake up. I repeat it quickly, like a mantra. And feel myself starting to drift away from the dream world. It's working!

"No!" Fake Harry shrieks, trying to grab at me as I disappear.

I wake up in my bedroom, gasping for air. My heart is pounding harshly in my chest, that feels excessively tight at the moment. I try to breathe in slower, hoping to ease my self. It fails, and I feel something wet on my face, I was crying. I didn't know what to do, my body was a wreck of emotions and panic.

I suffered in those dreams for months. Months! I couldn't take it anymore! I had to figure out, how to put an end to this.

I groaned in frustration. I wasn't used to feeling all these emotions. It was making me so angry! I placed my hands over my eye and cry into them.

I needed answers. The only person, that knew everything about this necklace was my mother. She wasn't exactly the most, helpful person.

I think back to the few things she's told me about the necklace. She told me it was powerful, and if I wasn't her daughter she'd never give it to me. I wasn't worthy of it. It'd be a fluke in my hands.

Oh my mother, always so uplifting and encouraging. Not. She never once talked about the necklace causing pain. I knew the necklace's most extensive power was its ability to trap a soul. My mother never went that route, preferring to turn people into polyps trapping them in her gardens.

She really only corrupted a soul, never caring to fully delve into soul magic. I don't know. My mother was the daughter of Poseidon, which meant Hades the god of the underworld was my uncle. My mother hated her family, her own brother did cast her out of his kingdom.

I felt my mind delve deeper into despair, as it feels exhausted by my emotions. I cried harder, feeling I had no way out of this. I couldn't even ask my mother, because not only would she reject me. She'll taunt me for my weakness.

My mouth begins to silently utter pleas, begging for these feelings to stop. My stomach twists its self into knots, as I realize this could be another battle I'll fail to win.

I took a shower and quickly got dressed for school, wearing my usual outfit. I went downstairs and heard my mother yelling at her tv screen. I wavered for a second, thinking of how I wanted to know the story behind the necklace. I knew it would be useless, she wouldn't tell me a thing. The thought of confronting her about it, and getting the knowledge I needed to defeat whatever was trying to kill me. This was so overwhelming.

I imagined the scene. I would walk in there confidently striding in, and turn off her soap opera. I'd throw the necklace I always wore down and demand she gives me answers.

Who am I kidding? I'd just end up with a tentacle across my face. And trust me it leaves a mark. I couldn't hide my face for a whole week, she'd still force me to work at the Fish and Chips shop.

I wouldn't know if she was telling the truth anyway. My mother has always been a shifty character, lies easily tumbled out her mouth. The only time the truth comes out is when she's ready to insult.

I couldn't do it, I'd have to figure this out on my own. Sure, I haven't a clue where to start, but I'll figure it out, right?

Like a coward, I choose to leave the house without saying a word. Was it really categorized as cowardly when I was protecting my face? _Ugh!_

I walk out of my house closing, the door gently and bumping into someone. Why would someone be waiting outside my door? The only person to do that was-oh no. I yelp and find myself feeling a mix of emotions as I see Harry Hook.

No, he couldn't be here. Why wasn't he with her?

Harry gives me a nervous wave of his hook, an unsure look on his face. Every feeling of disdain, I had washed away. I hated this so much! I couldn't even hate the guy.

Flashes of my dream appear in my mind, and I feel scared. I had this weird urge and wrapped my arms around Harry. _What was this?_

I grip him tightly, catching him off guard, but he quickly wraps his arms around me. It feels right. It feels good. I never wanted it to end.

Harry says something flirty and it throws me back to reality. Suddenly, I remember where we are, and what he did. I push him away, watching as he stumbles and glare at him.

I was angry at both of us. Me, for forgetting the rules of the Isle. If anyone saw us, we'd both be killed. Here I was trying to figure out, how to save him. And I already ruined it by not keeping my emotions in check.

My affection for Harry was a weakness, for both of us. I couldn't control myself around him. I had to keep up the act and push him away. _He betrayed you. You hate him. You despise him._

"What's going on darling?"

I don't say a word as I walk away from him. I've lived a Harry free life for months now, I could handle the rest of my life without him. Probably? I think. I hope. He follows behind me and places himself beside me. I roll my eyes in irritation, as he walks slowly to match my strides.

"Go away, Harry!" I snap, although inside I was celebrating, it's been so long since I had my best friend beside me.

"Is something bothering you?"

"Besides you?" I reply cheekily, and Harry raises his eyebrow in surprise.

"Uma, I can always tell, when something's bothering you. Can't you just tell me?"

"You revoked your privileges of finding out my feelings when you started dating her!" I proclaim bitterness etched in my voice.

"I don't want to argue with you!" He says frowning.

"Good, because I don't want to talk to you."

We both don't say a word, as we walk in silence. The school comes into sight, and I realize Harry was still following me.

"Why are you following me?"

"Can't I learn?" He drawls sweetly, "I go here too, you know." He points out with a smile.

"Hard to believe," I grumble underneath my breath. Then I thoughtlessly quip, "You've been gone for so long."

"Did you miss me?" He asks me with a flirtatious smile.

"Barely noticed, you were gone."

"You missed me." He observes smugly, "I've missed you too."

I feel conflicted. My emotions were fighting an inward battle inside. Part of me was angry and wanted to push him away. The other wanted our friendship back but knew he'd get hurt. The only thing both sides agreed on, was that it was best to keep him at arm's length.

"Shouldn't have betrayed me then," I respond sweetly.

Silence returns to us once more. Mentioning Mal seemed the only thing to make him quiet, which was bittersweet. I hated talking about her, and I hated how he divulge no information into the nature of their-no his love her? Why did I care? I shouldn't care, besides we're evil. He couldn't love her... _Could he?_

Harry runs past me, straight towards the school that was already in view. I felt a tug of guilt, for pushing him away. He wanted us to still be friends, like before. For me to forget his betrayal, and everything to go back to normal. I couldn't do that his betrayal to heartbreaking plus the whole someone plotting to murder him. It kind of put a huge damper, on us being friends again. And I really hated it, because I really missed my friend.

Harry approaches the school door and opens it gently holding it open, as he waits for me to approach.

"What are you doing?" I question, curiously.

"Nothing darling," he drawls with a grin, "Just holding a door."

"I can open a door by myself!" I say walking through.

"I know," he responds, following behind me as I make my way to the one and only classroom for our grade. Well, every grade.

The conversation stops, as we enter the classroom. My heart drops as I see Lady Tremaine sitting at the desk. She was the absolute worst, I hated it when she taught. She was so overly strict and ridiculous. I could never sleep when she was in charge, not that I wanted to sleep ever again after last nights dream.

I make my way over to my seat, and Harry sits in the one beside me. That was the seat he sat in pretty much our whole lives, until her. Gil was already there as usual, except with a piece of paper on his desk and a pencil in his hand. He must have heard that today was Lady Tremaine's day because he never usually brought supplies with him. No one did.

I wish he could have warned me because Tremaine definitely had it out for me today. She called on me for every single question. And even, when I was right I was wrong. Harry and Gil had both tried hard to defend me, which, caused them both to be on the receiving end of Lady Tremaine's signature icy glare. I didn't need help. It sucks when you're trying to push people out of your life. And they're just so, _themselves_.

When school ended, I watched as most of the people in the room rushed out the door. I knew I had to go to the restaurant, live out the same loop I called my life. I get up, and Harry gets up at the same time.

"You are not going to follow me again!" I shout annoyed not wanting to deal with his lost puppy act anymore.

"Can't I enjoy some food at the Fish and Chips Shop?"

"No, don't you have somewhere to go, with your girlfriend?"

"Why, Jealous?" He probes hopefully.

"No."

"I thought I'd hang out with you today," he says," like old times."

"Think otherwise, because we're not hanging out, and we're not friends." I counter sweetly, with a hair flip and an eye-roll.

"Uma, you don't mean that."

"I do," I admit, I had to let him go. I couldn't let my feelings towards him be used as a weakness any longer. This was the best thing I could do. Let him go.

"Wow, harsh," Gil says, and we both glare at him.

"Why are you still here Gil?" Harry asks angrily, through gritted teeth.

"I-I can stay if I want!" Gil defends, stuttering in fear.

Harry glares at Gil, who quietly picks up his paper and pencil.

"What do you know? I suddenly want to leave. Bye Uma and Harry!" He continues hurriedly, rushing out of the classroom.

"Where were we?" Harry wonders aloud,"Ah, you were just about to end this ridiculous protest against me."

"That was not the direction, this conversation was going."

"Uma, Is there something else going on with you?" He continues,"Something not involving Mal?"

I don't say anything, hating how he can read me. Harry was always sensitive to my emotions, capable of telling when anything was off. I hated how he knew me. I had to leave, I had to get away from him.

I say nothing, and get up from my desk leaving the classroom. Harry calls out, rushing behind me.

"Stay away," I yell viciously, as I turn to face him.

"No," He replies firmly, "This isn't us Uma, we don't fight."

"There is no us!" I bellow angrily, as I look around noticing students lingering, their eyes glued to us.

"I won't let this go!" Harry cautions as I look at him, knowing what he really wanted to say.

I won't let you go. That's what he really wants to say. How...funny. If he truly felt that way...Then why? Why did he choose Mal? It was too late to even dwell on this, I couldn't let Harry be around me. It was too risky.

"Do what you want!" I spat in a huff, running away and pushing past everyone in my way.

As I ran to the restaurant, I knew one thing. It was going to take more willpower than I thought, to let Harry go. I'm sure, I can live a Harry less life. _Probably?_ _Possibly?_ I'm screwed, aren't I?

 **A.N.** I found out in the books, that Harry calls Uma darling, so I had to include it. I'm working, on the next chapter of my other Uma/Harry fic. And a new fic that's been requested, that has become longer than I originally intended. Anyway, we're getting deeper into the plot yay. Thanks to everyone who's reading this and supporting this story! I really appreciate it!


	4. Hero?

The sound of a scraping blackboard seemed to ring throughout my head. It reminded me of what Lady Tremaine would do when she became frustrated by everyone. And laughed while torturing her students.

I wanted to awaken, but my body refused. Stuck in darkness, tortured by that grating sound.

Though the sound was loud, I heard muffled voices that sounded eerily familiar. I try to focus, drone out the awful scraping, but it just got louder.

I'm not sure, what's going on. Am I dying? Of course, my death would end with the sound I hated the most. I never imagined what it would be like to die. My fantasies usually involved a hostile takeover starring me and my mother. I wasn't supposed to have this ending.

My life would've been epic, a tale that would never be forgotten. I was going to rule Auradon with Mother. _Mother._ I imagine her reaction to my demise, she'd probably blame everything on me being half human.

Whenever I had gotten sick with a pesky little illness, Mother would become angry at my flaw. Mother wants a clone of her, an undefeatable pixie, not a flawed half-human daughter. It wasn't exactly my fault, she was the one who chose my father. She claims it was a pathetic moment of weakness and becomes terribly angry any time he's mentioned.

I've grown to hate him myself, his flaws, and the worst thing of all the fact he was human. All my misgivings were from him, I could never reach my true potential because of him. Now I was potentially dead because I was so _human._

Granted, I was still able to make conscious thoughts. I wish there was a memo for this whole potentially dead thing. My mother had died once, well most parents on the Isle had.

She doesn't talk about it, it angers her greatly thinking of defeat. It was her only flaw, the first time she's ever failed. I didn't blame her for being a perfectionist and only doing things her way.

I inherited my mother's hatred of failure, and it was such an awful feeling. I spent many nights in my loft crying because I didn't fit her standards. The pressure was high and slightly unbearable. Mother would never love me. Love wasn't a thing here. I didn't need it anyway, It was a silly goodie emotion. Power. Now that's what really matters, Mother would have been so proud of me.

I think back to those dreams, those dreadful dreams of that boy. I would never see him. No, I shouldn't even want to. He was a flaw. He would take me off the path mother has set before me. A path that is safe and evil. A path I have strived to walk on my whole life. A path I'm not even sure I want.

No, gods not those silly little doubts. Not now. I let mother down! How could I think of silly things like my dreams and feeling? It didn't make sense!

How could I think of me? When my Mother...She'll be so angry. Would she cry? Mother hated goodie emotions, they were awful and extremely unnecessary. I've heard a rumor, however, that mother cried when her dear raven Diablo was turned to stone by one of those dreadful fairies that took care of Aurora.

She was quite overjoyed when he came back to life, although she plays it off like she wasn't. I still see her fond over him, when she thinks no one's paying attention. Maybe Mother cares for me as well, she'll probably be heartbroken her only daughter was gone. Who am I kidding? My mother's Maleficent, she'll just be disappointed and feel like I deserved it. Casually playing up her 'grief' for laughs.

The scraping in my mind muffled slightly, and the sharp pains dulled. It's replaced by a new noise, I hear birds singing and feel a cold chilly airbrushing on my skin. I try to open my eyes to take in my new surroundings but they refuse to open. They feel heavy as the burden I was to bear my whole life. The burden of never being able to acquire the Maleficient name. The hidden reality of realizing I would never be worthy of it.

A strange feeling came over me, a feeling like someone was watching. I try to move my body but felt a sharp pain in my head, and groaned.

"Mal, don't move," A voice warns, a familiar voice.

I rack through potential profiles of who this person could be as images flashed in my mind. I feel a lightbulb go off over my head as I recalled the boy in my dreams voice. It's him! Wait, he's never said that before. I find new strength and forcibly open my eyes. I tell myself it's because I was anticipating confrontation, but I knew I just wanted to see him.

My vision was blurry and there was a dark outline. I felt like I was in a strange haze as the muffled voices come back for a minute.

"It's you!" I splutter a weird emotion fluttering in my stomach, "You're him."

"Him?"

"Ben, the boy in my dream," I inform feeling like a damsel. Gods, this was sickening. Was I fawning over this boy?

"So you dream about me, Mal?" He asks with a melodic laugh, a laugh I could only describe as cute. What is happening to me?

"They weren't exactly voluntary," I grumble wishing I could just disappear.

A beat of silence passed and I wonder if I offended him but he speaks a quiver in his voice.

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry?"

"This is all my fault," He cries, "I should have listened to you!"

 _Listened to me?_ What was he talking about? In my dreams I never told him anything, I couldn't even warn him of his impending fate.

"I have to focus," He mumbles to himself, "I can't mess this up too."

 _Too?_ What exactly did he do? And why did this feel so...realistic? This was way different than my other dreams. I had control, and this was a conversation. _A real conversation._ I felt like me, actually me, not a hollow shell looking through plastic doll eyes.

"Are you okay?" I ask feeling surprised to hear genuine concern in my voice. "Not that I care or anything, it's just you're being weird." I clarify quickly.

"I'm fine," He obviously lies with a sniff, from the sound of him he clearly wasn't fine," I'm not used to this is all."

"And what is this?" I inquired praying he gives answers, "Ben right? Who are you? Where am I? And why have you been in my dreams?"

"Ben, I'm your boyfr-no-husb-no friend." He thinks out loud.

 _Wait...What? Did he-?_

"My what!" I interrupt, "Did you say, husband?"

"No, it was my mistake," he insists, "We're just friends." He answers in a voice that clearly indicates we were anything but.

"You're lying," I note looking at him conflicted, "It coincides with my visions I guess. I don't understand how we-it happened." I respond reasonably, which was strange for me.

"I don't know what you mean." He replies defensively, "We're friends and only that." He affirms shakily.

"You're a terrible liar Ben."

"You've said that before," he reminisces.

"We've never met, so how? How do I have memories of you?"

"I can't tell you, not yet." He informs, "We have limited time, I have to keep this brief."

"Limited time?" I ask repeating him scrunching my nose in annoyance. "Why?"

"I can't tell you," He restates his earlier answer, "I want to Mal, I really do." He explains a tremble of lost in his voice.

"What can you tell me?" I inquire feeling very annoyed

"I love you."

Every thought I have shattered, as I seep through my mind searching for a reaction. I could feel my face tensing up, surprise and fear being showcased. I straighten my face and give him my signature sarcastic smirk. _Deflect Mal. That's what_ _you're_ _good at._

"I thought we were just friends."

"I'm a terrible liar," he repeats my words from earlier and I felt a playful smirk on my lips _. Impressive._

"Hmm," I ponder, "For a guy with limited time, you sure have time to flirt."

The blurry blob of Ben I saw before me became distorted, leaving me unable to make out any expressions or movements he's been making. But, I imagine him shrugging and running his hands through his hair feeling flustered.

I find my heart tugging with a strange emotion and my stomach full of giddiness. Why was my body reacting this way? Just the thought of this guy and everything I ever learned spiraled out a window. _This was bad, very bad._

He clears his throat, and I knew I was right about his earlier reaction.

"Sorry," he apologizes,"I've really missed you Mal, I thought I'd be able to keep this straightforward but...," He trails off and sighs.

 _Missed me?_

"You need to find me," he continues, "You need to find a way off the Isle and find me."

"Find you?" I repeat confused, "I'm not exactly the hero or savior type, I don't save people."

"You are capable of being good Mal. Don't fight it."

"Fight it!?" I retort offended, "There's nothing there! I'm bad, and I'm wicked! I can't save you!" I angrily insist.

My blurred and darken vision is suddenly replaced by a haunting bright light that causes me to blink heavily. I start seeing colored spots, and a scenery folds before me.

I was laying on the green grass, Ben was beside me sitting down, worry clouding his eyes. He looked different from my dreams, older and dressed more ornate than before. His eyes widened in realization, as he notices I'm looking at him, really looking at him.

"Mal." He says my name differently than the many times before, it sounded like a song upon his lips longing to be sung.

"Ben."

"You can see!" He exclaims with a smile, "Does this-" He's cut off, and disappears before my eyes.

I yell and scream his name as loud as I could. The scenery shatters before me like it's done in all my dreams before. I'm greeted by darkness and the muffled earlier voices become quite clear.

"She's been out for so long."

Evie! She was still here, but who was she talking to? I prayed she didn't call my mother, but then remembered mother would have shooed her out the room. And I'd probably be hearing a ranting monologue about my human flaws.

"I hope she wakes up soon."

Carlos! I couldn't believe he was here. Jay and Carlos have both been avoiding me, the whole dating Harry Hook kind of ruined our friendship. I was a little upset by their avoidance, okay a lot. But, what could I do? I mean sure I could have broken up with Harry, and acknowledge he made them miserable. That would be the good thing to do. And I wasn't good, surely they understood that.

Okay, so I was a self-centered jerk sometimes, who put myself over my friends. Maybe I should have considered their feelings, my friendship with them was worth more than using Harry to avoid my dreams. Oh gods, one conversation with Ben I was starting to feel remorse for my actions. Where is this coming from?

"It's Mal, she wouldn't die on us. She's strong!"

Jay! That means everyone's here! All the VK's are back together again. Jay was the angriest and most vocal about his hatred of Harry. It's been years, but I know something went down between them both to cause such heated tension.

I heard that awful scrape-board sound, and my friend's voices became muffled again. I yelled overwhelmed by the feeling of pain. And made out rushing footsteps and muffled questions.

"Guys," I croak weakly surprised sound even came out when I spoke.

"Mal just rest," Evie begs, "Please."

I groggily shake my head, but my body suddenly felt tired. Overwhelmed by the strenuous activity of being active and aware.

I find myself drifting back to sleep, and awakening almost an hour later. My eyes opened and were greeted by blurry vision, it took a couple of minutes but it slowly cleared up.

I move to get up, and I hear the footsteps of my friends begging to lay back down.

"I'm fine," I insist, "Never felt better."

"You scared us Mal!" Carlos yells tearily, "I thought-" He trails off, and walks away trying to maintain himself.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, it's not your fault," Evie interjects, she then fluffs up my pillow and smiles, "Is there anything you need? Anything at all?" She asks with warmth and concern.

"No, I'm fine."

I look at Jay who was silent, his head was down and he was rubbing his eyes. Was he crying too? I observe all my friends Evie with the tears brimming her eyes. Carlos with an outward cry of fear and potential grief. And finally Jay, who was hiding his face as he cried.

We were all bad, terribly wicked, and here they all are caring about my well-being. Tears started brimming from my eyes and I started to wail. I cried for my friends lost childhoods, I cried for my own. I cried for the love we couldn't show one another. For the love of a parent, we'll never know. I cried for the fact that maybe, just maybe Ben was right. Maybe I was capable of being good and that scared me.

My vision blurred, I gazed at all my friends again. We were children, just kids longing for love. Playing roles that were never really meant for us.

"I'm sorry," I apologized through my tears,"For everything, I shouldn't have chosen him over you guys."

"Mal, don't even think about that," Jay assures with a sad smile. "I'm just happy you're alive."

"Thanks, I'm so happy you guys are here," I thank feeling overwhelmingly sappy, "All of you."

"We are too," Jay affirms and lifts his eyebrow jokingly, "Just don't let next time we're all here together be because you almost died again."

I laugh and rub the tears from my eyes.

"I'll try not to almost die again." I joke with a smile.

"Good," Jay replies relieved and gives a smile.

"Mal, this is going to sound like a stupid question, but do you have any idea what that was earlier?" Evie asks concerned.

I look down my vision still blurred from tears and sigh heavily. I bring my hands to my lap and look up seriously.

"There's something I need to tell you guys," I inform, instantly feeling regret, as the words left my mouth.

I took a deep breath and gathered my confidence. I had to tell them everything, that was going on, even if I myself didn't have a clue. I just feared that maybe they wouldn't believe me. It was so hard to digest. How would I even start?

"I've been having dreams," I say slowly, as I grimaced internally. Talking about this was going to be so difficult "Strange dreams." I utter quickly fearing their reactions.

"How strange?" Jay asks, "Like Carlos's mom level, cause that's pretty top level, if so."

"Hey!" Carlos yells frustrated, "That's my mom." He protested, turning around to glare at Jay. His eyes were red from crying, all of our eyes were.

"Just messing you with bro," Jay responds with a laugh and winks, "Though, you gotta admit, your mom is pretty strange."

"I-okay, yeah fine." Carlos agrees.

"Guys!" Evie scolds, "Focus, Mal is talking."

"Sorry Mal," Jay apologizes sheepishly, "Promise, I'm all ears again."

"Thanks, everyone," I stretch my hands that suddenly felt tense and brittle. "I'll give you guys the short version. I've been dreaming about a boy, his name is Ben. He needs our help." I disclose watching my friends reactions, everyone looked confused.

Of course, they would be. I'm asking them to play hero. This was weird, I needed time. _Or an evil intervention._ I don't even know, but it seems I already made the decision to help him. If I even could...How would I? I was never tasked with this role, it was something I was taught to hate, the cause of everything bad in my life. And here I was actually considering playing one, to some boy I don't even know.

I want to go back to a simpler time, one where I don't get over emotional and cry. This was awful, I hate these emotions. They were so raw and new, and ugh! I needed to backtrack and take all this back. Laugh it off as a joke, and let the dreams continue to haunt me. Maybe whoever is sending them will tire, and I'll be able to go back to my normally scheduled life. A dream free, not hero considering, Mal, the real me.

Who am I kidding? I haven't been me for months, I felt like a stranger inside my own body. Every day it seems I grow more and more aware of how constricting the Isle was. Maybe, this whole thing was good. If there was a way off if I could be free... Sure, I had to play this part of rescuer, but I didn't have to transform my whole life. Right?

"Somethings after me, after him, I don't know what it is. It's dark, whatever it is." I continue, "Guys we need to leave the Isle, we have to help him." I stress trying not to sound disgusted by the word help.

"Help him?" Evie repeats the word. Help was a foreign word to us all, and here I was using it so freely.

"I know, okay, this isn't something I want to do either," I admit, "I'm not a hero, none of us are. This isn't me!" I shrill harshly, everyone stares in shock at my outburst. I tuck my hair behind my ear and look down conflicted.

"Mal," Evie comforts, "We're with you no matter what." She looks at the other guys expectantly who all shake their heads in agreement.

"Yeah, if you want us to rescue some guy, we're down," Jay nods.

"How are we going to leave the Isle?" Carlos inquires, "It's impenetrable."

"I don't know," I comment realizing this may actually be impossible, a thought springs to my head and I give a knowing smirk, "But, I have an idea."

"What is it?" Evie asks curiously.

"Doesn't Hades son Hadie leave the Isle for like six months for training?" I question and everyone nods.

"Yeah, he does." Jay agrees, "The goodies don't have a clue about it either."

"Well, how about we pay him a little visit?" I suggest with a smile,

"Wait, we aren't going to beat him up for answers or anything?" Jay asks, "I mean he's Uma's cousin."

"Jay, I'm almost disappointed in your belief in me. I can play nice." I told with a devilish cat-like smile, "Besides, I'm not afraid of Shrimpy." I scoff flippantly, a little offended he thought I considered Uma a threat.

"True," He states thinking out loud, " With her gang gone, she's pretty harmless,"

 _Harmless?_ _More like useless!_ Because of me, the only thing on her life schedule was work and school. She has no turf, no crew, and absolutely no friends. She wasn't a threat to anyone anymore. Not, that I ever considered her one in the first place.

I say nothing in response and focus on bringing the conversation back to the topic we were on before.

"The faster we find out about this, the better," I advise getting out of bed still feeling slightly disoriented and slipping my shoes on.

Everyone nods, and we make our way out of my loft. By the time we get out, we all realize we didn't have any idea where he could be. We all decide to split up and search the Isle. Carlos and Jay make it into to a competition and run off. Evie, however, goes to the nearest cutest guy and starts flirting. Okay, might be a little harder than I thought.

I could find him myself, I think about the facts I know about him. He was pretty young and according to Carlos preferred to keep to himself. He was also quite cheery for the son of a death god. He also had an uncanny ability to blend in, which will make it a lot harder to spot him. But still my confidence didn't waver, he had answers and I will get those answers today. Nothing will stop me from getting off this Isle!

"Maaaaal," My mother sang, "There you are darling, I've been looking for you everywhere!" She gives me a toothy sinister smile and narrows her eyes.

Except for that.

 **A.N.** I had to cut so much dialogue for this. I overdid it hardcore. I finally managed to find Mal's inner voice again, so yay. And we're getting deeper into the plot! Next chapter, we're back with Uma and Harry who could make a little progress. I'm trying not to rush them being friends again, but Uma could never be mad at him for so long. So...hmm. Also, I have a Harry/Uma one-shot I wrote. I have to edit it, might post it tomorrow or this week. So look out for that! Also, check out my new fic which is also Harry/Uma. (Yes, I know I started a new series, I need an intervention at this point.)


	5. Reunited

Oh, I was for sure screwed. Harry had followed me out of the school, whistling innocently as he smirked. Playfully winking every time, I would angrily glare back at him. I went the long way and thought I had lost him with the insane amount of twist and turns I took.

When I finally arrived at the Fish and Chip Shop with Harry nowhere in sight. I breathed a sigh of relief, and my eyes widened when I notice the opening of the door and recognize the person entering. Harry swaggers into the Fish and Chip shop like he owns the place, he slips his sword into the bin and walks over to me with a confident smile plastered on his handsome face. _Why was he making this so difficult?_ Although it was pretty stupid of me to even think for a second he would give up and go home.

The Fish and Chip shop was at one time a second home to Harry, mostly because I was always stuck here. And Harry never strayed far from my side unless it was to cause some mayhem.

I pretend I'm not bothered by his presence and go off into the kitchen to grab my apron.

He follows, so I abruptly stop and turn around with a fierce glare etched on my face.

"Staff Only," I emphasize with an annoyed smile, he pretends like he's considering my words.

"No, you and I are going to have a proper conversation," He answers standing tall with confidence and crossed his arms over his chest in defiance.

"If I don't start my shift Harry the only thing I'm going to feel is my mother's tentacle slamming against my body!"

Harry frowns slumping his shoulders as realization shows in his eyes, "You're right. I'm sorry, I'll wait until your shifts over."

"Or you could just leave," I indicate harshly, gesturing to the door. My eyes flitter over Harry anticipating his reaction.

"Now, why would I ever do that?" Harry questions licking his lips a smile dancing on the corner of them, and before he walks out he grabs a fry off a ready to serve tray.

I forgot how infuriating Harry could be when he didn't get what he wanted. And he always got what he wanted. I couldn't give in, I had to resist!

I quickly grab my apron and walk to the tray Harry just ate off of. I ask the cook to put some more fries on it and they nod shoveling on some more.

The cook tells me what table to take it to, and I nod again heading out the kitchen. I took the order to the customer who began to hungrily gulp down their food.

The day was like that for the most part, me serving and customers grabbing at their food like it's the only thing they'll eat in their life. For some, that could actually be true. Life expectancy wasn't very long on the Isle.

Many people died of things unheard of in Auradon, the land of 'good' and advance technology. Here on the Isle, the dirty streets seemed lined with an endless number of orphans, whose mothers had died from childbirth and fathers that died soon after. Some kid's parents were alive and chose to throw their young child out because it was another mouth to feed. A thing they couldn't afford in this non-existent economy.

When I had my crew and Harry was my friend, they mostly consisted of kids with a lost look in their eyes. Kids like Harry and I, we were going to accomplish so much. Maybe actually do some good on the Isle, give our lives purpose. And Mal had ruined everything!

She completely destroyed my crew, and they were very loyal. I tested their loyalty to me many times, and they easily passed pledging their allegiance to me. I wonder how she swayed them, did she threaten them?

There was no magic on the Isle, and yet Mal's mother once mustered enough magic to curse Evie. It had happened after Evie invited everyone but Mal to her birthday. _Mal being excluded, now those were the days._

Evie's curse seemed to follow her everywhere, until one day it was just broken, although I'm not sure how. But after that, she and Mal became best friends. And how Maleficent was even able to conjure a curse was never revealed but it put a strong fear of her that ran throughout the Isle. And Mal became an undefeatable force that no one could say no to. _Not even Harry it seems._

I glance at Harry, who was playing with his Hook and mumbling something to himself. _How did she do it?_

I think back to 6 months ago before this all happened, I was so naive. I should have seen it happening, there must have been signs, anything that would warn against his drastic change. No, maybe there wasn't... It was like one second Harry was singing his devotions to me and then suddenly the tune had stopped. Leaving me to face the horrors of our reality alone.

And he was nowhere to be found, lost in the sea of her lies I assume. It was awful, he stopped going to the Fish and Chip Shop, the ship, and he didn't even go to school. Then when I finally see him, consumed by worry, my eyes must see her by his side. Gods, did I let my anger and hurt blind me? _Did Mal actually spell Harry?_

A small curse was one thing but a love spell, she couldn't possibly harness enough magic for that. Then again, there was still no knowledge of how her mother had even acquired the magic to place a curse on Evie in the first place.

I need to break it. I had to free Harry from that bratty pixie's hands. _But how?_ How does one even break a curse? A curse that shouldn't even be possible because of the barrier.

I suddenly felt terrible, I couldn't believe how I treated Harry. He was completely innocent unless Mal had just enhanced feelings he already felt...If so, he would really be dead to me.

I end up going into the kitchen and tell the cook to make Harry's favorite meal.

Okay, yeah, I did say I was going to leave him alone. And I will, but circumstances have changed dramatically so. I must make sure he's safe first. I can't let my friend suffer under a love spell any longer!

It was up to me to break it, although I'm not exactly sure how.

I think back to all the stories involving love spells, only one thing broke them all, True Love's kiss. That wouldn't work with Harry and me, we were on the Isle where love is absolutely forbidden. It was impossible for us to love anything, it was against everything we were ever taught.

Flashes of images of Mal and Harry appear in my mind, I start to feel nauseous as the memories come to an end. I could try, maybe there was a loophole.

Harry and I were close friends. I knew everything about him and vice versa. Maybe the power of friendship could save him as well?

The cook placed Harry's meal down and I quickly pick it up, walking out. I roughly place the tray on Harry's table and watch as he jolts up in his chair, straightening up his posture. He gently places his Hook on his lap and looks at me with interest.

"Come to the ship, "I invite with a warmness in my voice that seemed hollow, "Please, I just need to talk to you for a little while."

Harry seems giddy at the idea of us speaking privately and he quickly responds. _Probably thinks he's broken me down._

"Sure," He replies eagerly plucking a fry into his mouth. "We can walk together."

"Yeah, we'll go after my shift," I glance at the clock, and look back at Harry who furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"20 minutes?" He asks hopefully.

"Or 40," I correct with a smile, and Harry looks down at his food feeling ashamed.

"Harry," I say his name tenderly, "It's okay, numbers are stupid. Besides, the only real important number is one."

"Which I am!" He exclaims with excitement and then looks at me sheepish, "After you of course."

"Uh huh," I agree a glint of mischief in my eye, "I'll tell you when it's time to go."

Harry nods, "Thank you,"

I finish my shift 40 minutes later on the dot and dash to Harry's table.

"Let's go," I say pointing my hands towards the exit, and Harry nods getting up. We walk to the entrance and Harry grabs his sword before we leave.

As we walk Harry tries to make conversation, "How have you been? I mean really?"

 _Oh, let's see completely lost and miserable without you and the rest of my friends? Feeling absolutely isolated and hopeless. Dead inside?_ I don't say any of these things and only manage to utter, "I've been fine Harry."

I feel Harry's eyes bore into me, and I suddenly find myself wishing to disappear.

"I don't believe you."

"Why do you even care?" I challenge bitterly, noticing a can someone left and kicking it away.

Calm down. I was trying to be nice, potentially sew the open wound that had become our friendship. It wasn't his fault. But it still could be.

"We're friends, friends care."

Doubts lingered inside of me, as part of me was still tittering on the line of jealous anger. I can't let myself be consumed by this. Change the subject.

"Friends don't sleep with their best friends most hated enemy!" I confront thoughtlessly, as I feel the muscles in my face tighten with anger.

Oops. That was not supposed to come out, at all. Why am I so bad at this? Can't my anger take a vacation for the next 20 minutes?

"I-we actually haven't done that," he reluctantly admits, avoiding eye contact with me.

I remember the many incidents where I caught him and Mal in each other's arms. I outwardly scoffed, unable to fight the rational part of me. The part that knew Harry probably wasn't in control of his current actions involving her.

"And I'm supposed to believe you?" I question in an icy tone, and Harry looks at me offended.

"It's not like that!" Harry argues, his nostrils flaring as he inhales a sharp breath.

"Then what is it like Harry?" I inquire sarcastically, my voice coming out much harsher than I intended.

"I don't know," he admits apprehensively, "It's like I woke up one day and I just needed her."

"Needed her, was I not enough for you?"

I blink in surprise at my implication, as I grimace in embarrassment. I didn't even know I felt that way, I felt so vulnerable.

Harry looks startled by my implication, and delves deep into his thoughts, "You lure me like a fish to bait and then pull away."

I say nothing as he continues, "Why do you think I flirt with everyone? Have you ever thought of a reason why?"

I had a strange feeling where this was going, there were eyes everywhere and we couldn't talk about this here. I do the only thing I could think of, deflect effortlessly.

I shrug and the boat comes to view, "I just assumed you were horny."

That's not what I wanted to say. I closed my eyes tightly and open them to glance at Harry who seems slightly taken aback.

His expression quickly turns to anger and he rolls his eyes dropping his head downward, "Never mind Uma, forget it."

"We're here anyway," I point out as we walk onto the ship. It's empty and seems barren. It's been months since I've been on it. Avoiding it like an Isle parent avoids responsibilities and their child's well-being. As Harry and I walked the hallways I realized just how ghostly this ship felt. Last time, we were both on this ship together we were different people, living different lives.

We make our way to the captain's quarters and I start to think of a game plan. I think Harry may just be a little upset with me. Okay, scratch that I know. I feel terrible. If only I managed to deflect better earlier. Or even yet avoided the whole conversation altogether.

We arrived at the captain's quarters and I produce a key that had been long forgotten from my pocket. I unlock the door and Harry walks in first.

"So, how should we start?" Harry asks nervously clenching his jaw, as he fidgets his fingers anxiously.

"Maybe tell me why? Why her of all people?" I question closing the door and look at Harry expectantly.

Harry's eyes uneasily shift, and he looks at me warily, longing me to let the subject go.

"I don't know, I felt compelled to be with her."

 _Compelled_ , so it was a spell. My theory had been right, I felt a little relieved. "Harry," I spoke his name calmly as I find myself walking closer to him and stop when we're inches apart, "I can fix this."

Harry looks down at me confused, and I grab the back of his neck gently. My heart beats heavily against my chest as I stand on my tippy toes. I could do this. It's just a kiss. A kiss with your best friend, that you may or may not have some extreme tension with. What type of tension, I didn't want to think about. Gods, I can't do this.

This was way different from tender touches, and subtle longing glances. If I do this the line, the one we've always tittered on would be crossed over. And I feared what I would find. Harry's eyes scan my face furtively lingering on my lips. He still looked confused, but another emotion was suddenly written on his face. Anticipation.

I positioned myself ready to feel his lips against mine.

"Uma?" He asks puzzled breaking the silent tension and I quickly place my lips on his. He looks down at me with his eyebrows furrowed in confusion and regret in his eyes as he pulls away, "What was that for?" He wonders and I look at him feeling dejected.

"It didn't work," I declare sadly, my heartbreaking, "Why didn't it work?" I cry angrily.

I was so convinced, that he couldn't possibly love her. That it was fake, and now it hurts even worse. He really betrayed me, my best friend.

"What are you talking about?" Harry questions mystified his mouth agape. "I-,"

Harry stops speaking suddenly and his eyes widened with surprise. He rapidly looks around confused, "How?"

His eyes lock on mine and they light up happy to see me. Looking as if it's been so long since he's seen my face. This is strange. "Uma!" He shouts happily, "There you are darling!"

Does this mean it worked? But, the spell seemed to wipe his memory? I don't even think he remembers how he got here, "Harry, are you okay?"

"Fine, actually amazing now that you're here," he walks towards me, but I put my hand out to stop him.

"Harry, do you love Mal?" I question hesitantly and he looks at me with pure disgust at the implication.

"Why would I? She's awful and a traitor, and not you." His eyes pierce through me and I suddenly find myself feeling uncomfortable.

On one hand, it was a huge relief knowing he no longer loved Mal. On the other, he indirectly confessed his love and I still had to push him away. Even if I didn't have to I was unsure of how to take it. This was the Isle we could never actually be together.

Mal could easily break the rules but me? No, I fought way too hard, striving for the Isle to see me as a powerful force to be reckoned with, even if Mal took it all in one swoop. Why was I thinking of revenge now? I couldn't bring anyone I care for back into my life, I was dealing with something that wanted everyone I love-care for dead. I had to keep myself at a great distance with Harry, even though my heart was arguing otherwise.

Harry looked out the window and turn back to me with shock in his eyes," Uma, what's going on? Why are we back on the Isle?"

"Back, Harry we never left?" I answer with confusion.

"No, we did! You seduced the king with a love spell and the crew, we rode with the tide!" He looks at me expectantly, as if anything he was saying made sense. He walks over to me and lifts my hands intertwining them with his.

"What?"

"Am I forgetting something?" Harry wonders, appearing deep in thought and drops my hands to roughly rub his arm in confusion, "That person! They tried to hurt you!"

"Hurt me?" I repeat, did Harry know what was going in my dreams? I look at him surprised and he continues to speak.

"Yes, the one with the cloak!" Harry blurts with panic, turning around to look at me again, a gust of black smoke appears and Harry moves towards me slowly with his jaw slackened in shock as a cloaked figure is revealed when the smoke disappears. The figure slowly moves behind Harry.

Harry clearly senses that someone was behind him, as he cautiously turns around and backs up as he points to the figure in shock, "You? What have you done?! Uma, don't you remember?"

Harry turns to me with pleading eyes, he reaches into his jacket and attempts to reach for his Hook. But his hand suddenly drops and his eyes roll to the back of his head. _No!_

"Harry!" I cry as I drop to the floor and shake him, then place my head on his heart. It was beating thank gods, I hover my hand over his nose and feel relieved to feel air coming out. He was just passed out, I felt so relieved but still, tears came.

"Harry, please wake up," I beg, shaking him again. He didn't move at all and I begin to feel tears dripping from my eyes. _Don't leave me alone._

"Hmm, I didn't expect him to wake up first," a voice says sourly, a voice that's been haunting my dreams.

It was them.

"What did you do?" I demand with a fury I've never felt before, turning back to the cloaked figure. I try to attack whoever was under the cloak but they paralyze me with the snap of a finger.

 _How?_ How was she doing this? How could she trap me like this? There was no magic on the Isle, this is impossible.

"You know, out of all of you I didn't expect the idiot pirate to awaken first." They comment flippantly, and I had a lot of choice words at them calling a Harry an idiot. "Guess, I underestimated true love."

 _True love?_ So, that means...of course, it wasn't a pure platonic kiss that had changed Harry. At least I knew I was right, Harry had been put under a spell, but now I wasn't so sure he's been the only one.

"Silly me, I should have separated you like I did to Mal and her precious Ben," They muse angrily, and chuckle, "No, it's too fun watching you angst about the boy you love loving another. "

"I should kill him," They continue mockingly, their voice rising in pitch, "But, he's such great leverage you know, and yet so indispensable."

 _Indispensable?_ Harry, was nothing of the sort. Without Harry, the world would be a different awful place. Harry was my best friend, no he was more than that. I wouldn't let some psychotic being fake him away from me! I fought against the shield of energy binding me, but it was useless.

"Oh well, he won't be bothering you again. Trust me."

 _WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH HIM? LEAVE HIM ALONE!_ I yelled but they didn't react. Now, that I think about it and they weren't responding to any of my thoughts. That means they couldn't read my mind, not in the real world. I felt relieved, but that meant I had no means of communication.

"Or you take my deal, and I mean take it now," They demand while snapping their fingers and I find my mouth able to move.

"Why?" I utter feeling absolute outrage, and tiredness from the many months of torture, "Why are you doing this?"

"You're not the one I really want to destroy." They admit with sheer honesty, their voice rasping in irritation, "To me, you're simply a casualty in a necessary war."

"A casualty, I am no casualty," I snarl angrily, my face feeling hot with fury. Me a casualty? I've been fighting my whole life to live, to prove I'm worthy of life. How dare they call me a casualty?

"So, you say Uma, but what can you achieve?" They countered sarcastically, I go to protest but they continue.

"You tried to seduce the king and failed," They gloat tauntingly, "Just like your mother, aren't you, Uma?"

 _I am nothing like her!_ A memory appeared in my mind, I was on the king's arm and Mal looked broken. This didn't happen? Did it?

"You tried to get the wand, and failed!"

Another memory flashes as I see myself screaming for the wand demanding the fairy godmother hand it over.

"Then you had all of Auradon prep students and those dreadful traitors at your mercy and you failed to kill them."

I was in the sea in this memory, I was huge and in my Cecaelia form. My tentacles lashed out at the boat rocking it, and I laughed as their pathetic lives lingered in my hands. But I gave it up? Ben, the king, he swayed me.

"W-When did all of this happen?" I stammer, searching through my memories. I've never left the Isle in my life, everything they mentioned me doing was impossible. The flashbacks, they felt so real, no they were real?

"Doesn't matter, you're still a failure Uma." They retort sharply.

"Tell me!" I demand, and they chuckle.

"Nope, you'll forget soon enough about all of this, and go back to your pathetic life."

Forget? No, I couldn't! And Harry! Gods, Harry!

"Harry," I wept silently, not wanting to cry in front of this monster.

"Say, goodbye to your lover," They laugh maliciously, "Go to sleep Uma." They sing sweetly with feigned affection, and my eyes start to feel heavier.

I try to fight but I can't, I'm weak to their power. The only thing I could do was slowly submit, I felt my body dropping. Before I close my eyes, I manage to sneak a glance at Harry as he disappears right before my very eyes in a white flash. My eyes could stay open no longer and I yell Harry's name inside my head as I fall into a deep sleep.

 **A.N.** Woo, it's my birthday so I had to make sure I gifted everyone with the joy of Uma! So, we're getting closer to the end of Uma's Part 1 Arc. And it's going to get intense. I'm not really sure if I like this chapter, but I feel like it's the best way to really delve into the plot. Thank you for everyone who's been reading/reviewing/faving, like you guys are great and really encourage me to write more. There was a review on my runaway story, and person's birthday is tomorrow so happy pre-birthday, hope you enjoy the huma! I'm working on a One-Shot and the next chapter of searching so be on the lookout for that! Hope everyone enjoys their day, bye!


	6. Mother Knows Best

With mother right in front of me, I couldn't help but feel trapped in an oubliette of devotion. For most of my life, there was only one person to choose, her.

Then Jay came along and Evie along with Carlos. My world changed but my mother was still my sun. A dark, gloomy sun that's like about to explode but a sun nevertheless.

What was I supposed to do? Could I really keep this plan a secret? And if I did go through with it, would I ever see my mother again? _Why so she can tie the strings on your limbs and keep you as her defective copy?_ I-I'm not defective. I'm-just never going to be good enough for mother. _Ah, the tiring burden of being the daughter of Maleficent._ No matter what I do everything I work for automatically decays and is cruelly branded as worthless. Especially, in front of her hateful dangerous eyes. _Your eyes too._ Gods, I hate it when she gets that look in her forbidding orbs as if she's waiting for me to vanish from her sight forever. I could feel a frown clawing to parade on my face and I tried to force it down.

Show nothing, be as bleak as a dream on the Isle. Empty. I feel the muscles in my face tighten as it pulls up for an unnaturally much too wide smile. _Not, what I was going for._ I feel a slight pain in my cheeks as I enthusiastically and awkwardly wave hello."Mother, I'm here. Right here." Always, here.

"I can see that." She says tilting her head high to observe me. Mother, always had an air about her that could easily deem anyone around as inferior. And today was no exception. I try to ignore her eyes picking for my flaws but couldn't help but feel nauseous at her upcoming disappointment. I mean, I'm flawless. How could she find anything that isn't there? I just need to chill like the villain I am.

I change to a cool unreadable expression that I had originally intended to use as mother's eyes seem to read target locked on.

"It's been so long, mother. I feel like I haven't seen you in forever."

"Yes, almost as if you've been avoiding me." She comments wryly as she taps her fingers against her staff.

"A-Avoiding you? Mother, I would never!" I disagreed even though I, in fact, have been.

I couldn't exactly pass out in one of my lessons. Mother would want to know everything. And I in no way would be able to keep Ben a secret.

Yeah, I've avoided sleep, even dated my worst enemies kind of boyfriend. Happy, I'm admitting it now, Evie. Oh, let's not forget I completely isolated myself from my friends. My best friends in the entire universe. Small universe, cause you know the whole being trapped forever on the Isle with no escape.

Please, even with a vast world, me and my VK's would have found a way to each other. That sounds so mushy. _Gross._

"People have been talking," she purrs and I grimace knowing where this was going. "And I haven't liked what I've heard."

"Oh mother, the Isle is full of so many gossips. And I assure you I've been nothing but absolutely wicked during our time apart."

"Oh, that's so funny, Mal. I could have sworn I've been hearing some hearsay about you and the Hook boy." Her eyes narrow at me accusingly and I try to keep a straight face.

Uh Oh. "Me and Harry, mother no, that would never happen." I over-dramatically gesture with my hands acting as the rumor was the best joke I've heard.

"I know when you're lying." Mother notes with a piercing glare as her eyes start glowing green, my eyes begin to glow in response.

I feel a surge of power rise in me and an ancient song with a tongue I've never spoken, but always heard plays in my mind. It fights against my mother whose song is louder and darker than my own. I feel my song get quieter, my eyes dulling as I feel weak. So weak.

I give up. Mother smiles clicking her tongue in triumph.

"Such a disappointment." She chided.

All I feel is a repulsing shame as I frown still hazed by the mental battle. "Mother," I start knowing I haven't been practicing, and she could probably feel the weakness radiating off of me. I didn't even last half as long as I used to.

"What have I taught you Mal?" She cuts me off.

"Never get attached and that love has no place in my heart, but mother I don't love him!" I admitted honestly.

My heart definitely didn't belong to Harry Hook. No, It just happens to have an unusual lapse of very un-isle feelings for a boy who lives in Auradon. Unusual lapse, is that what this is? I see his face appear like a portrait in my mind. His eyes unwavering, even though it's just a fantasy his face feels as if I could just reach out and touch him. My mother and surroundings forgotten I lose myself for a moment. Jumping out of the daydream when the lips of the portrait move.

Freaky. My eyes focus back on my mother who's looking at me with a sudden keen interest. Her face says more but I don't bother deciphering as I dwell on what Ben was mouthing. Was that real? Or am I losing my mind?

"You sure about that?"

I nod my head vigorously in agreement trying to rack my mind to remember what we were even speaking of. Oh, Harry, "Yes, mother my heart doesn't lie with him," I add in a quick afterthought, "or anyone for that matter."

I say as my heart was being held captive by Ben from Auradon. What am I saying? I don't have a heart. I mean I do but, gods, I should be taking hearts out not thinking of a once upon a dream.

"To have my own child forsaken me!" She cries dramatically, "And lie straight to my face. I would be proud if I wasn't so disappointed with you!"

Proud? Mother, would-why am I focusing on this? I should be preparing myself for my mothers upcoming hour-long chastising. And that's if I'm lucky.

"Mother, no I would never-" _Disobey you? Sure, what do you think you're planning on doing?_

 _You're plotting against everything mother ever taught you. You marry someone from Auradon, for badness sake! The place we despise and yet aspire to rule over. And to top it all off you're planning on escaping the Isle without her._

She'd kill me. Well, not literally, I mean I don't think she would. I was her only daughter and heir. I was much too valuable for her to lose. How sad is that? The only reason I know mother would never truly hurt me is because I'm considered useful to her.

I just nod my head no, and she gives me a pitying look,"Moments of weakness, will haunt you, dear, trust me on this."

I look down at the ground, feeling uncomfortable. I was her moment of weakness, her flawed half human child.

"I know, mother."

"I'm just looking out for you." She says with empty motherly affection,"Don't fail the same way I did." She whispers and I look up shocked.

"I won't, mother. I'll break up with Harry Hook." That wouldn't be a problem at all. Giving up Ben, however, ...I don't think that's possible.

Even after hearing my mother's words, my heart still desired to see Ben. Just one glance at least. I'll probably be back before my mother even notices I'm gone.

"Good, but I'm going to have to punish you. Make sure you understand I'm always right."

"What kind of punishment?" I inquire hesitantly.

She says nothing but then loudly screams, "Goblins!"

Oh no. Anything, but mother's goblins.

The goblins seem to appear out of nowhere hearing my mother's call as they immediately crowd around me.

"Carry her to the castle." She snaps her fingers and I hear her mumble under her breath,"Parenting is so hard."

I lose my balance and I fall into the goblins palms as they carried me off to her castle. Gods, at least give me 13 hours or something. I am so not feeling like the babe with the power, right now.

They throw me off once we reach the castle entrance causing me to fall to the ground below. I look back to glare at them as I get up from the ground. Mother snaps her fingers signaling for me to follow her and I of course obey. A little fearful of my impending punishment. Mother was quite known for her cruelty. It was a quality I greatly admired when it wasn't aimed at me.

You know, I've never said this out loud but sometimes mother truly frightens me. Sure, she causes lots of people to quiver in their boots. She's not called the mistress of darkness for nothing. But even as her daughter I was susceptible to the petrifying viciousness that was Maleficent. I really screwed up this time.

Before, Mother and before the United States of Auradon even existed people thought fairies were inherently good and slightly over emotional creatures. They were right for the most part, fairies in Neverland, for example, could only feel one emotion at a time. They were still labeled as good despite the fact they could experience very evil emotions. I heard one pixie tried to kill a girl. Not that you would ever hear about things like that in an Auradon textbook.

You see before Fairy Godmother stepped on the scene most fairies never fraternized with humans, especially common folks. The rare trio preferred to socialize with the royals of human kingdoms. Blessing their little royal babies with gifts in exchange for having humans believe in them. It was a big move for fairies who were usually labeled as weak by the others. They gained power and prestige.

Then Fairy Godmother comes beguiling all humans with her bibbidi-bobbidi-boo's. Therefore, changing the name of fairies forever and helping them earn the label of forever immortally good. Well, until my mother.

I follow after mother to her office, and she sits in her chair looking as regal as ever. Her eyes are cold and paralyzing but that doesn't stop my heart from lurching in numbing fear. She hums loudly and cackles as she searches for a just punishment in her mind for me. She then grabs a pen from the cup on her desk and hits a metal bell she usually uses to summon me from my room.

"Clean Diablo's cage, it's filthy." She points over to his cage and I look on confused. Mother would never let Diablo's cage get that filthy. She adored the raven and would never let him be confined to his cage with its bottom covered in waste.

 _It's my job to clean it, though._ Did she really keep his cage like that to be spiteful? _It's mother, of course, she did._

"Mother-" I try to protest but her lips turn into a snarl, "Now!" She demands and I hurriedly leave to get the cleaning supplies.

When I came back mother was using a nail file to sharpen her nails and Diablo seemed to be anticipating my arrival. Which, was strange but his cage was probably reeking. Yeah, this wasn't the worst punishment mother could give me. I was expecting something much more gruesome. Like, that time I accidentally said thank you and I had to give the goblins their meal. Let's just say there's a reason the streets of the Isle aren't wracked with decomposing bodies.

"Out you stupid bird," I say as I open Diablo's cage but just as I thought he stays put. This bird is always making everything difficult. After a lot of coercing and a bunch of scratches, I finally convince him to leave his cage. I expect him to fly to my mother but instead, he lands straight on my shoulder. Okay, something's definitely up with him.

I sternly point to his bird stand, but he just caws and makes himself comfortable on my shoulder. I glance at mother, but she pays us both no interest and I pet Diablo concerned. What was I missing? Diablo always sets himself upon mother's shoulder without fail. Unless, no.

That's impossible! I would know if the person sitting in front of me wasn't my mother. The alternate possibility was mother had hurt Diablo and that was something she would never do. _I'm just being paranoid._

I clean out Diablo's cage and smile as it gleams in the light. I am so good. "I finished," I tell mother trying to get Diablo to hop on my finger and go back to his cage but that only leads to him tightening his claws on my shoulder.

Mother doesn't respond seemingly enamored by something on her desk, her nails long forgotten. I closed Diablo's cage accepting the fact he made himself at home on my shoulder. I walk towards mothers desk and clear my throat hoping it'd bring her attention to me. It didn't.

"Mother," I start unsure of what I was going to say, "Tell me, the story of how you met Diablo again."

That seems to snap mother's attention to me as she gives me a slight eye roll, "Why?"

Why? Mother loves telling that story. I've never seen her not want to tell it. Usually, I can't get her to stop talking about it. _She really isn't my mother._ No, this is ridiculous. It's just a story. How could that prove the person in front of me isn't my mother? She sounds like mother, acts like her, she even looks like her. Unless, that is my mother, but isn't.

I glance at Diablo waiting for him to fly to mother's shoulder and at least give her one look of familiarity, but he seems to move further back as if terrified at the idea of being around her. Clearly, something is going on. But, could someone truly be in my mother's body?

Whoever they were they had managed to act as my mother to a tee. Almost as if they knew her, or they were getting their references from a source. _A source like me._.. No...but the dreams and the strange off feeling I've experienced these past few months.

 _This is nonsense!_ But then again, I know my mother. I've had the audiobook of her autobiography in my ear my whole life. She would never not tell that story.

I tell myself I'm not panicking as I slowly back away towards the door.

"Where are you going pumpkin?" Possibly fake mother asks with an almost hostile curiosity.

"Mother, I really must get going. Evil waits for no one as you know." My words come out quick and uneven. _Stay calm._

How could I stay calm when there could be an impostor with my mother's face right in front of me? I could practically feel goosebumps rise on my arms. Mother was the most powerful of all. If this person actually took her down... No, I can't think of this now.

I have to focus on keeping up a masquerade that everything's fine. I had a sickening feeling that my life depended on how I acted now.

"What's wrong sweetheart? You seem scared."

I gulp and a high pitch laugh comes out, "Scared? Me, daughter of Maleficent. Mother, I don't get scared. I make people fear me."

Mo-Fake mother taps loudly on her desk and Diablo bawks loudly as if he's sending a message. _A warning?_

She sends a death glare in Diablo's direction, and he's suddenly eerily silent. My eyes meet Diablo's and his eyes linger on me as if he's expecting me to read his mind. I nod my head at my mother's faithful companion as if I read him loud and clear.

This really wasn't mother. She was a fraud and we had to escape.

"Something seems to be really bothering you, Mal."

"No, nothing's bothering me. I promised Evie I would scrounge for some materials with her. So, I gotta get going." I hurry to the exit, but she calls my name stopping me in place.

"Well, don't be a stranger. I do miss my dear daughter sometimes."

Definitely not my mother. She would never admit to missing me. Ever.

"Of course I won't, mother." I give a fake tense smile and turn the knob of the door quickly. Throwing myself out and closing the door quickly.

 _Run. RUN!_

I almost forgot Diablo was on my shoulder as I let my legs guide me to wherever as I try to get as far as I can from that fraud. _I need Evie._ Evie will know what to do. Where was she?

Diablo cawed loudly and flew off my shoulder hovering in front of me. "Find Evie," I ordered, and he obediently turns around and flies upward.

I decide to start looking at the area mother had taken me from and Evie was nowhere to be seen.

"Evie!" I called but knew it was useless, she was probably long gone by now. Gods, I really wish we had wi-fi, so I could just message her or something. Granted, I would also need a phone in order to do that. But, who cares about details, right now?

What is even happening right now? I felt terrified. The situation was getting more and more complex. And now my mother was gone. Sure, we weren't allowed to love, but she's my mother! I'm sure in the villain handbook I'm required to go on some type of revenge quest. I wonder how long she's been gone. _Why should you care you've been avoiding her? You've really failed her now._

I couldn't even debate with the inner thoughts of my mind. They were right, I messed up with disastrous proportions. I just want all these feelings to go away! I really needed Evie. She would know what to do. My head is all jumbled up and burrowed by so many emotions. Evie always has the answers, she's so sma-ah!

Another vision comes up, I'm in a lilac dress with a wand in my hand. Not just any wand the fairy godmother's wand.

 _And Evie... You do not have to play dumb to get a guy. You are so smart!_

I feel like a long needle is poking my brain and bite my lip to hide the pain. I couldn't show weakness here. These were the streets of the Isle. Showing emotions in public is like asking for a death sentence.

My vision starts to get blurry as I struggle to search around for a place to hide. The place seems to be suddenly overcrowded as I pushed past the crowd not caring who I knocked over.

I hear Diablo squawk overhead and find myself sedated with relief.

"Mal!?" Evie!

I take back every bad thing I've ever said about Diablo. Best bird ever.

I try to speak her name but the pain decides to not spare me intensifying even more and my eyelids start to feel as weighed as the pressure mother puts on me to be perfect. No, not here, not now! Evie places a reassuring hand on my upper arm and then puts her arm around my shoulders to balance me. She whispers something to me but my mind is murky from the pain creeping back through. I feel her guiding me but my movements start to slow as my legs begin to feel numb. _Don't pass out._

 _Be strong!_ You have to talk to Hadie! I say Hadie's name out loud and Evie stops. I can't really make out her hushed words but I hear home. I move out of her grasp, well try too, but my knees seem locked in place. Evie gently drags me somewhere but with my sight so blurry I hadn't a clue where we were going.

An ancient song plays on in my mind but it's far from the one I've come quite familiar with. It was eerily similar to my mother's and almost instantly I felt my body start to feel renewed. The pain dulls and my vision becomes clear once more. We're almost back to my loft. I pull away from Evie who says my name surprised. The song ends and I'm back to my normal self. What happened?

"Mal, are you okay?" Evie questions in a hushed whisper as I feel her gently rub my back with concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I answer robotically unsure of what I just experienced. "Let's go find the boys, we're stronger together."

She nods in agreement, and we walk around the Isle calling Jay and Carlos's name. Diablo seemed to tire of flying and perched himself upon my shoulder once more. I pet the top of his head affectionately, thankful for him helping me find Evie.

"Um, Mal, is something else going on that I don't know about?"

I sigh not ready to tell Evie my mother's gone,"I'll tell you when we find the boys."

"Alright, I'm always ready to listen." Evie gives me a friendly smile and I shoot her one back.

She looks back in front of her focusing on the way ahead, my smile falters and a thought nibbles its way through. _What if no one's who they say they are?_

I shook my head the paranoia was getting to me. My suspicions of my mother being replaced were still not technically confirmed. I needed proof, real hardcore evidence to truly seal the confirmation. Did I have time? Ben needed me but Mother...

Dread charged at me with a violent smug glower as I realized soon I would have to make a heartbreaking decision. I felt the puncture of truth as I looked inside and felt my decision had already been made for me. _Mother._

A.N. Do you guys agree with Mal's choice? Or do you think Mal has made a terrible decision? I got a lot of shadows vibes when writing this. But I promise Mal won't be leaving for ten years or anything. I really wanted to write a huma Christmas one-shot this month but I couldn't really come up with a plot. Anyway, I added a cover to this fic that I made in photoshop. I'll probably change it when I make a better one. Thanks for reading and I really love your reviews! Hope you guys like this!


	7. Reveal

My hand trembles as I wrap the golden silk of a curtain around it. I study every stitch, and then gently rub the soft silk between my fingers. It felt real. It was real.

And I still remembered everything. Were they just toying with me earlier or is this some last hurrah? The final level in their hateful game.

It didn't matter. While my memories were still intact I needed to find Harry. The cloaked figure could have-no-I'm not letting my mind go there. It can't go there. Harry's strong, he wouldn't die so easily. I mean, I wouldn't have made him my first mate if I didn't believe in his strength.

I push the curtain away then look around in confusion. Nothing about this place was recognizable. Golden paint covered the walls, and it shined as if were made from real gold. The rest of the room, however, was pretty barren. There was no furniture filling the room but there was plenty of decor. The walls were decorated with many paintings but three looked as if they didn't belong.

These paintings were made of glass, and gods they were creepy. What made them creepy? The first painting portrayed a rose. A decaying rose with a red substance dripping from its thorns. A substance that clearly was blood. The second showed a garden. Seems normal, right? Yeah, well, instead of plants growing from the ground it was people. People sprouting up like cornstalks with leaves for eyes. A figure stood behind them. A figure that's been haunting my dreams for way too long. A figure in a cloak.

And the third and creepiest of them all was a portrait. In it sat a woman posing on a chair with a careless smile on her face. Her eyes spelled trouble and were the creepiest part of the painting. They were shrinking. It sounds crazy...but they are. The more I stare at it the smaller the whites of her eyes become. The pink flesh of her eye socket is exposed until it's the only thing that's left.

The careless smile on her face turns into a pained frown. Her fingers become folded up and soon her eyes were filled with blood. I scream. I try to calm myself. Convince my mind that the painting was playing a trick on me. Or someone else is. It's them. It had to be them. I pace the room looking around to see if I was really alone. I was. Disappointed I kick the air and yell. Am I missing something? I walk back over to the curtain and take a handful of fabric in my hand. Then I pull it down in my frustration.

The fabric tears and I can't help but smile. The desire to destroy more stirred up in me. My mind becomes occupied with finding the next target. The paintings. Those horrifying paintings. I go to walk in that direction but my body freezes.

"Can't have you touching those." A voice-Their voice scolds," I must admit, you're quite amusing. Choosing to pull down my curtain as an attention seeking method. Are you a child?"

"You," I growl, feeling my hands shake with rage."This ends now!"I bellow out in anger. A surge of power flows through me. A power I've never felt before, but it feels so familiar. I try to move my hand for a test run, and it actually moves.

They had no power over me. I was in control now. Cautiously, I turn my body in the direction of where I heard their voice earlier. They still stood there. Well, hovered, technically, as there were no feet touching the ground. Abruptly, they hover in my direction, and I know just how to greet them.

Preparing to swing, I ready my fist hoping I won't miss. I do. The cloaked figure doesn't even come close to approaching me. They stop just a few feet away. I jump at them expecting to feel flesh as I put my hands out to grab. I feel nothing.

A couple of seconds later, I feel the coldness of the floor. Quickly getting back to my feet, I look behind me to see them unmoved. Did they disappear? Did they move before I noticed? It didn't matter, Harry was in danger, and I needed answers.

"Harry. Where is he? Tell me now!" I demand furiously through gritted teeth.

They chuckle and my anger rises, but my stomach also tightens in fear for Harry's life.

"Back in my youth, I would've done anything to see true love thrive. I spent my whole life guarding love and in the end, it destroyed me." They pause with regret heavy in their voice. "I'm doing you a favor, love is a hindrance. Do you feel that energy surrounding you? That's magic, your magic. All that potential and you haven't even scratched the surface.

My magic hummed around me, but I ignored it. I wouldn't give into their temptations. I briefly went over their words again. They were young once...which meant they aged? Or maybe not all? What were they? They couldn't possibly be human, not with the amount of magic they possessed. They had to be something else, entirely.

"That's doesn't answer my question."

She ignores my words and continues, "Imagine, all that we can do together with our powers combined. The knowledge you'll learn, the power you'll gain. Beings dream of this."

"They can have it. I only want Harry. Bring me to him, now."

"I warned you. Told you that your resistance could cost your boyfriend's life. Did you listen? No, you let your pride do the talking."

"What-What did you to him?" I ask my voice shaking. "Is Harry-"I can't say it. I'll never say it.

It's a lie. Another move in their sickening game. I wouldn't believe them. Harry would never be-no I wouldn't allow it. Harry, wherever you are, I order you to be okay. Please.

"I didn't do anything. This is all on you."

A sphere conjures out of thin air. An image of an injured Harry fills the screen. I reach for it wanting to desperately go where he was, but it causes the image to fade. I pull myself back and try to retain as much info as I can.

Harry throws his head back in pain while whispering my name. He clutches onto a hedge and quietly calls my name again. I try to tell Harry I'm here. That I'm waiting for him but the image fades again. I bite my tongue and he's stumbling forward. I hear the deep roar of an animal. Harry's eyes widen in fear as he starts to speed up.

The image changes focusing on the creature chasing Harry. I shake my head not believing my eyes. I had seen image after image of that beast. That was the King of Auradon.

How did he change back? I look over to the cloaked figure who stood frozen like a statue. "That's the king of Auradon chasing, Harry. How? Is this some illusion? What you're showing me can't be real?"

"This is very real. Your boyfriend is clinging to life and the king has lost himself."

I stare at the screen trying not to show emotion when Harry appears again. "I'll take your deal. Just get Harry out of there."

Harry disappears from the sphere and a flash of light fills the room. When I can finally see, Harry is sitting on the floor bleeding. I run over to him and try to tend to his injuries.

I couldn't. "Heal him," I order panicked.

My eyes stay focused on Harry, and he starts to glow. All of his injuries are gone. Looking up at me with relief, I couldn't help but say his name. Wrapping his arms around me, Harry pulls me into a hug. I close my eyes enjoying the feelings stirring inside me. I didn't want to pull away but I needed answers. Harry frowns and I tenderly touch his face in assurance. We both get up and face our 'ally'.

"Now that were working together. I want answers." I started, but Harry interjects upset. "Working together? I am not working with them! They've tried to kill us both."

I shoot Harry a look telling him we'd discuss everything later. His mouth twists in disagreement, but he doesn't say another word.

"Who are you? What's your motive in this whole thing? Are you trying to take over Auradon?"

"You and I are similar in many ways. Think of your own motivations mines are the same."

My motivations? In what? Was she talking about my plan to take down Mal? "Revenge." I say, "This is all for revenge but against whom?"

"The king." They answer pulling down the hood of their cloak revealing their identity. My eyes bulge shocked, it was the same woman from that glass painting. She tightens the cloak around her neck and gives me a knowing smile, "I am called Enchantress. I cursed the king many years ago to become a beast. I wanted to teach him kindness, so, he could become a great king. He didn't learn his lesson and I need your help to bring him suffering."

"You're supposed to be good. That's how the story goes. You saved the King's life, now you want to end it? " I question confused.

"All I've done for him, and he traps me. Lures me to fairy godmother where she dampened my magic and sent me to the Isle of the lost. After all, I've done he brands me a villain! He was the villain in his story. His paranoia, quick to judge nature, and narcissism was good for no one."

"You did curse a whole kingdom because their king was a brat." Harry chimes in.

"Waiting would have caused his heart to darken." She informs." I saved him and his kingdom."

"Didn't you also turn them into furniture," I add.

"Only the residents in his castle. It was to protect them and keep the king from losing his sanity."

"Yeah, well, I don't think it worked. His paranoia created the Isle, so thanks. How come we've never seen you on the Isle before?" I gesture to Harry and me.

"He imprisoned me. Locked me away on the part of the Isle, no one could access." Pulling her cloak tighter, her shoulder drops as she appears lost in thought.

"How are you here? Who freed you?"

She smiles, "Harry, could tell you the answer to that."

A.N. And finally the big bad is revealed. Did you guys expect enchantress? Or were you expecting someone else? How do you guys think Harry freed her? Anyway, sorry I haven't updated this for a while. I've been working on all my stories. I just have a 'Let's rewrite the same chapter in 30 different ways' itis, so it takes me some time. Thanks for all the reviews and for reading! Till next time!


	8. Clue

Carlos and Jay were easy to find. The boys were hanging around Jafar's junk shop, talking in hushed whispers. Carlos sits on a plastic crate, his legs shaking, and his fingers digging into the sleeves of his jacket. Jay's standing next to him, leaning on the cement wall of the shop. His shoulders are slumped, and his hands are curled up into fists. He uncurls one of his fists for a moment and I catch a glimpse of something in the palm of his hand.

It's hard to really tell with the distance between us but it looks like a folded up paper. I wonder why he's holding it? Did it hold information of where exactly Hadie is?

No, Jay and Carlos wouldn't look so shaken up over that. It's possibly not related to Hadie at all. It could be just a random piece of paper. Maybe instructions to one of the broken knickknacks in Jay's dad's shop.

Yeah, instructions. Only instructions. Except, instructions wouldn't shake them up like that.

Well, maybe Jay's dad could've asked them to fix something that's super complicated. That would definitely freak out Jay.

I almost believe it. Until I remember Carlos wouldn't freak out over fixing something. Carlos always manages to find a way to fix and improve something. There's nothing that would stump him like this. Nothing that could make him shake in fear.

I'm scared. No, I'm not. Bad little girls don't get scared. _Mother would be so disappointed._

Evie and I finally approach them. Neither of them reacts. Diablo who's still clinging to my shoulder lets out a loud squawk. His squawk breaks them free of their fear and finally makes our presence known to them.

Evie waves at them both, but goes over to Carlos. She starts asking him questions, but he looks at her blankly. His legs still shaking.

Jay starts walking over to me but stops, his eyes flickering to Diablo who's comfortably perched on my shoulder.

"Is that your mom's bird?" Jay asks, trying to avoid looking at Diablo whose wings were now raised high and beak looked ready to poke someone's eye out.

"Yeah. It's Diablo." I answer. I move my hand over to one of Diablo's wings and try to stroke it exactly how my mother does. Diablo's response was to peck me with his beak. I forgot. Even with our current alliance, Diablo still saw me as a stranger. And Diablo hated strangers.

I looked down at my hand, checking to see if he had left a cut. Nothing. Maybe, he was starting to like me. I look over to Diablo, but he's peering over at Carlos. Most likely curious about what he's afraid of.

" I thought he wasn't allowed to leave her sight?"

"He isn't..."

Jay studies my face for a brief moment then makes a gesture implying he wants to speak to me privately. I nod and follow him. He makes sure we're not within hearing distance of Carlos and Evie.

I wait for him to speak. To ask why my mother's bird was perched on my shoulder. A bird that I told him so many times I hated more than anything.

He doesn't say a word, just reaches for my hand and places something in it. It's square shaped, papery, and a little wet from what I hope is sweat or water. Hopefully, water.

The folded up paper I eyed earlier was now in my hands. The very thing that turned Carlos and Jay frozen with fear.

"This," he lowly whispers, as I start to unfold the paper. "This is the key to everything."

I slow my unfolding pace, fear suddenly creeping up inside me.

What could this paper possibly tell us for Jay to say that? I almost ask him but the paper's fully unfolded now in my hands.

A drawing. A drawing covers the whole page. It's a dog with three heads and the tail of a serpent. Well, that explains why Carlos was shaking. He's terrified of dogs. But that didn't really explain Jay's behavior.

"What does this mean? Who gave it to you?"

"It's a symbol. Wherever we see this Hadie won't be so far away. Or so I've been told." He explains.

"And who's been whispering this in your ear?"

"I'm not sure who exactly but I think they used to be a part of Uma's crew."

"Uma's crew?!" I shout, shaking my head. I crumble the picture up in my hands and then harshly throw it on the ground.

It lands by Jay's feet.

He bends down, picking it up, and straightens it out and looks at me disappointed. "This is our only clue, Mal. The only thing that can lead us to Hadie."

"A clue that could've easily been planted by Uma to throw us off Hadie's trail."

"Didn't you scare most of her crew off? Do you really think they'll still do her bidding?"

No, of course, they wouldn't. They wouldn't dare face my wrath. Plus, Uma's been branded as weak. No one on the Isle would ever want to listen to a weakling.

Jay's right. And this is the only clue we've got. The only possible way we can figure out what's going on.

"Okay, so let's say we look for this symbol. Where do we even start?"

"Well, I sort of have an idea where we'll most likely find it." He answers, tucking the drawing in his hand into his jacket pocket.

"Let me guess, somewhere next to Ursula's Fish and Chip Shoppe."

"Maybe a little farther away?" He suggests."It's gotta be pretty secluded for us to never notice it, right?"

"It's not like we've ever looked for it. And none of us are really familiar with wharf turf, Jay."

I shouldn't really call it wharf turf anymore. With the wharf rats being permanently disbanded and all. But I didn't know any other name for it.

The wharf is one of the larger places of the Isle. It's split up in three places that much I knew. Sometimes I would walk with my mom to the Goblin owned part of the wharf and go with her to the barge to pick up some essential things. Art supplies for me. And for her whatever she felt someone else would want and more.

The second biggest area of the wharf is Hook's turf. I've never been there myself but I've heard rumors about it. And by rumors I mean not so humble brags by Harry Hook, so I assume it's actually the worst place on the Isle.

The last and smallest of the areas were all by Ursula's Fish and Chip Shoppe. A.K.A the only other place in the wharf I've actually been in. And I've never been curious enough to explore any more of that part of the Isle.

"I am." He reminds. "I did almost run with them once."

"True. Okay, let's go back and tell Carlos and Evie we're searching the Isle for this symbol."

Before I turn in the other direction and head back, Jay stops me. He points to my shoulder. "So are you going to tell me why you have your mom's bird?"

I consider telling him. But I knew I couldn't say it. Not yet. If I said it aloud if I told him my mother could've been replaced. It'd consume me. My mind will only be focused on saving my mother.

And for now, I couldn't let it. Not when I had no place to start. It'd be good to find out how to leave the Isle. Even if I can't save Ben anymore.

Maybe mother was finally off the Isle. Hiding out in an abandoned castle plotting out revenge. Or maybe she's been captured. Hidden away for months now, wondering if her daughter will ever notice she's gone.

Angry at how long it's taken her to notice. Ready to destroy her with one look when she finally comes to her rescue.

Yeah, I definitely needed a distraction.

"Let's find Hadie first then I'll tell you. All of you."

Jay nods and we head back. When we go back, Carlos looks calmer than before, but he still looks terrified. Evie sits beside him, her legs stretched out to the side in a relaxing position.

Carlos suddenly stands up, and shakily says, "I'm not going anywhere where there are dogs!"

"Carlos, chill. You know there are no dogs on the Isle. We're just gonna look for a symbol." Jay says.

Carlos shakes his head, "Leave me out of this. You guys can go and find Hadie. I'm going home!"

"No, we need to stick together," Evie says, placing a hand on Carlos's arm." you know we're better together, Carlos. Stronger side by side."

"I'm too scared. What if the dog tries to eat me? My mom says dogs love eating little boys named Carlos!"

Evie stands up and hugs Carlos. She pulls away, giving him a comforting smile. "We'll protect you. Right guys?"

"Yeah." Jay and I respond in unison. "We've got your back," I add.

Carlos nods still frowning but thanks us all. "Alright, VK's let's go find this symbol."

We came across a couple of distractions. Evie being easily coerced into buying a dark blue scarf, which as much as she haggled could not convince me it was worth wasting our time. She didn't even end up wearing it. She folded it up and placed in her purse after realizing it clashed with her current outfit.

Our second and final distraction was Jay getting sticky fingers. He tried to steal some clocks from Captain Hook's stall. But because of Carlos's jumpiness at the dreaded dog hidden somewhere on wharf turf, he accidentally made Jay get noticed. Foiling Jay's steal and sending us all running into the alleyways.

Which smelled like rotten fish. And Ursula's Fish and Chip Shoppe was still a little away. Ugh, I hated the stench of wharf turf. Diablo did too from his complaining squawking.

I shush him, reminding him we're trying not to get caught. As we wait for the coast to clear I spot something moving. I gasp when I realize what it is. A rat. It's huge and wrestling with something.

I back further into the alley wall, covering my mouth. Trying so very hard not to scream. Isle rats were known to be feral and violent. Very much unlike those rats, you see on Auradon TV.

Diablo notices what I'm looking at and lets out a threatening squawk in the direction of the rat. Why did mother have the most confrontational raven ever? I cover his mouth whispering that most Isle rats are diseased. And that's not something my mother would ever allow him to eat.

He lifts up his head, his beak in the air. I think he's offended? Why is he offended? I'm trying to protect him! The rats wrestle match is coming closer to us, so I move further down the alley wall.

Whatever the rats wrestling covers its face. And I realize that rats not wrestling another creature. In fact, I'm sure it's a wig. Yeah, it's definitely a wig. It's a darker shade of red. Probably belongs to one of the pirates of the wharf.

Why am I checking out the color of a wig? I needed to get out of here and this is the perfect chance. I manage to slip out of the alley, avoid the stall owner and go straight to Ursula's fish and chips shop.

Pirates are everywhere. Some sitting in the balcony of Ursula's Fish and Chips Shoppe looking bored. One trying to fish through holes in the dock. Many standing scattered around trying to barter with each other. And among all these faces my friends are nowhere to be seen. Guess that makes me the stealthiest of the group. Jay's gonna be so bitter I took his title.

I find myself almost tempted to go in Ursula's Fish and Shoppe and mess with Uma a little. But I had better things to do and their food is awful.

I ask Diablo to find my VK's and bring them to me. He obliges, flying high above the buildings of Isle and one by one leading my VK's to where I was. When we're all together, we form a plan. We decide to split up and search in pairs, hoping to cover more ground that way. Evie teams up with Carlos, and they decide to search closer to Hook's territory. I tell them to avoid Hook's crew in case they're still looking for the failed thief who tried to steal from them. I say this while looking at Jay who just shrugs. Evie and Carlos promise to avoid their sights but I couldn't help but feel nervous.

It was one thing dealing with Uma's wharf rats but Hook's crew that was uncharted territory. And something I really didn't feel ready to face.

Jay and I team up, and we search closer to Ursula's Fish and Chips Shoppe, deciding the alleyways were the perfect place to hide the symbol. Diablo decides to fly overhead, his eyes searching for anyone who dared to attack me or any of my VK's. In a strange way, I felt like mother was protecting me. Diablo had always been her eyes, her friend.

No. No thoughts of mother now. I need to pay attention and look for that symbol. I could hear sailors whispering, quietly asking each other what business did the daughter of Maleficent have here. I heard one respond with Shrimpy. And a part of me was satisfied hearing someone else call her the nickname I knew she hated.

Jay trails behind me. The only sound he makes is the squeak coming from his boots. My eyes were looking upward searching for the symbol and I trip over something. Looking down I see it's a drunken sailor passed out on the streets. Least I hope he's just passed out. I grimace, speed walking away but somehow end up knocking into someone. I jump back and find myself face to face with Gil, son of Gaston.

"Oh hey, Ma-." Gil starts to greet me but pauses when he sees Jay who's caught up to me now. Jay stands behind me, most likely glaring at Gil. "guys." Gil finishes.

"Gil." I acknowledge.

"What are you guys doing on Uma's turf? You're not going to tell me to quit her crew again, are you? Because I already did!"

"No. " I answer. "And Uma has no turf."

Gil gives me a confused look then wags his finger as if I told him a good joke. "Yeah, she does! I mean we're standing on it. You almost got me there, Mal."

"I don't have time for this!" I move forward, but Gil shouts.

"You don't want to go down there. That's where Hadie lives and it's very spooky over there." He covers his mouth like he said something he wasn't supposed to.

"Hadie. Uma's cousin, Hadie. So he does live over here," I say with interest.

Gil uncovers his mouth for a moment and answers."Not here exactly. He lives further down there where the plants were never supposed to touch grow."

Gil covers his mouth again.

"Down the Road, huh?" I look behind me and motion for Jay to go on ahead. "Thanks for the directions, Gil," I say moving past him.

I hear Gil's frantic footsteps move further away until the only thing I hear is the sound of my own. Jay's waiting a couple of feet away. He stands, arms crossed."You know he's going to find Uma, right?"

I scoff. Jay didn't think I found Uma intimidating, did he? "And what's she going to do Jay? Intensely glare at me? Or better yet fume at a distance. Let's just go."

Jay takes another look back at where Gil ran before walking even deeper into the alleyway. We walk side by side for a moment before I notice a pair of stairs, and on the cement walls hiding them I spot the very symbol we're looking for.

I point it out to Jay, who raises a brow. That's when I notice there's something written on the sign. _Beware Of Dog!_ It read. Oh...Carlos is really not going to like that.

A.N. Hey, everyone! Happy 2019! I'm sorry this took me so long to finish. I had this whole chapter planned but then it got way longer than I intended and I got really overwhelmed by it. I want to thank everyone who's reviewed/faved/alerted! You're the whole reason I finished this chapter because I was so ready to give up on this. Thanks to everyone who read this! See you next update where we'll find out what the heck Harry did.


	9. Anchor

"Harry, what does she mean-" I turn to him, his face looks drenched in guilt.

I lose my words. I start feeling like I'm drinking murky water from the faucet in my mom's Fish and Chips Shoppe kitchen. I felt it. Felt the globs of dirt, tasted it, and as hard as I tried I couldn't spit it out. Couldn't face the truth that was literally choking me.

Harry released the Enchantress. Released her from whatever prison she was put in. The being that's been haunting my dreams. The being that's been taunting me with Harry's face, with his voice, with his pain.

No. Harry would never. Harry wouldn't. I've known him my whole life. He wouldn't betray me. He wouldn't.

Harry's the only person I've ever trusted. The only person I can actually depend on. He wasn't like my mom. He wouldn't betray me. Wouldn't cause me pain.

Whenever my mom's lying or hiding something she gives this fake endearing smirk, a smirk that can seem so real when you're blinded by a desire for something. A smirk that can easily deceive you into believing you'll get a sea pony for your birthday. A smirk you realize never goes away because she's always lying. Always ready to deceive you even if her blood is flowing in your veins.

I was never going to trust anyone after that realization. I made a promise, a promise I swore to never break. And then Harry swaggered into my poorly decorated birthday party with a small gift in his hand. Just earlier, I'd given up hope that he'd even come. I convinced myself he was having the time of his life at Mal's birthday party. That he was tired of hanging around "shrimpy".

But there he was handing me the small gift in his hand. It was a charm from one of the stalls by my mom's Fish and Chip Shoppe. A charm that always caught my eye but I never had the time to get it myself. A charm that now adorns my boot. The first charm of many to come. That was the moment I decided to trust him. The moment I knew Harry and I's friendship was unbreakable.

Harry stands there, as still as a dried starfish. It's like there's an anchor looped to his foot, and he can't move. I'm afraid. Afraid the Enchantress is telling the truth. Afraid that Harry has no words to dispute her.

Harry doesn't lie to me. Harry could barely keep secrets from me. They always had a way of easily coming out of his mouth, and if he manages to hide it longer than usual, his touch.

Like a robot that's just been oiled, Harry comes back to life. He moves from beside me and practically spins to the front of me. I eye him with a raised brow, acting like I was clueless. Like I didn't know what his next move was gonna be.

Then he reaches his hand out and places it on my shoulder. I close my eyes, his touch had all the confirmation I needed. He did do it. The Enchantress wasn't lying.

"Uma." He says my name like it's the title of his favorite song. "You look even more gorgeous than usual. Did you do your makeup differently today? It's very heavy on the eyeliner, were you trying to impress me, darling?" He continues.

I tilt my head, staring at the hand he placed on my shoulder. Then my eyes go back to his face, and his eyes, they're studying me. Studying me as if he's trying to commit my face to his memory. As if he's never going to see it again...

For a second, I want to enjoy the closeness. Even though I'm angry and the urge to push his hand off of me rises with every second. We could never be this close together back on the Isle. I could indulge. I should indulge.

Lifting my hand up, I place it on his wrist and pull his hand off my shoulder. His hand drops to his side and I glare at him even though I find myself not wanting to. My mind still tells me to indulge but I shut it up with a reminder. A reminder that's been getting louder and louder in my head. _He betrayed you. Your best friend betrayed you and he won't even tell you he did so._

The Enchantress seems to enjoy the scene of me rejecting, Harry. She laughs, and then loudly coughs the word coward. Harry's body stiffens, and he doesn't respond. He looks exactly like he did just seconds ago like an anchor's been looped around his ankle.

"What did you do?" I ask, my voice cracking at the end of the question.

Harry looks away from me, shame written on his face like an x on a treasure map. "I'd never betray you, you have to believe that, Uma." He whispers, his voice low." I didn't know. I really didn't know, Uma. I thou-she lied to me."

Even though I had confirmation with his touch, and now with his words. I still wait for Harry to let out a mocking laugh. For him to tell me this was a cruel joke. He doesn't. He only reaches out for me, looking like a wilting flower yearning for sunlight. I step back before he can touch me. Before I can feel his lies burn into my skin.

Yet, still, I need to know. I need to find out what happened. Find out exactly how Harry released The Enchantress.

"Harry," I say his name sharply, "tell me what happened? Now."

"Tell you? Now?" He repeats, his voice slightly higher in pitch with each word. He shakes his head, walking backward. "No. Not in front of her. Uma, please."

Harry spins forward and faces, The Enchantress. He spats the word you angrily. I see the Enchantress smile, she starts making the sound of a ticking clock. Mocking Harry's reluctance and his father's known public fear.

I watch as Harry's hand slowly inches towards his hook. The Enchantress spots this too, and she looks as if she's daring him to try. Daring him to make one move, so she can-I gulp. I move faster than I've ever moved. I place my hand on his back, and he wobbles forward slightly but regains his balance.

He looks behind him and looks down at me confused. His eyes saying I know you want her gone just as much as me. It's true. I do. I want him to hook her. Want us both to turn this whole thing around but I knew neither of us could win that fight. Not even together.

And I also knew when I attacked her, I only felt the coldness of the cold golden floor because she needs me. For what I don't know. But Harry. She liked playing with his life. I saw it when she brought him back to me bloodied and dying. And as angry as I am at him for betraying me I couldn't lose him.

"Tell me," I say. Harry nods and turns his head back towards the Enchantress. And then the truth starts spilling from his mouth like an over-flooded sink.

"It was after the failure at Cotillion. You swam back to the Isle and went straight to the ship." He starts, his shoulders sagging.

Those flashes of memory I had back on the ship. They were real. I somehow escaped the Isle. I even confronted Mal. And I lost in front of all of Auradon and even worst, the Isle Of The Lost. No one on the Isle would ever let me live that down. They'd all rub Mal's triumph in my face like it's salt on a wound. Yet, I still went back. Back to being forced to work the late shift. Back to a mom who barely knew I existed unless she needed me for said late shift. Back to a prison that wasn't even created for me.

Why? Why would I ever come back? Especially, after smelling the fresh air and feeling clean ocean water against my skin.

I could think of one reason. One anchor to the place I was forced to call home. Harry. My crew. I knew I could never leave the Isle without them.

I hear Harry's earlier words from our exchange on my ship just earlier repeat in my head. He said the crew rode with the tide. But how? How is that possible if I came back to the Isle?

Is he lying now? Or did he just not remember everything earlier? This is all so confusing.

"Everyone in the crew was confused, there were some talks of a mutiny...I put a stop to it of course. You were silent throughout the whole thing. Wouldn't say a word no matter what anyone said. Eventually, you locked yourself up in your quarters. I tried to talk to you but you didn't want to speak to me. I slept outside your door, and only woke up after you tripped over me." Harry continues.

Mutiny? My crew was actually going to let me walk the plank. They thought I wasn't fit to be their captain anymore. That I was a failure because again Mal won. Why did hearing that hurt me more than the memories of Mal forcing every member of my crew to quit?

"Wait, what does this have to do with you freeing, The Enchantress, Harry?" I interrupt. A little upset about the confusion Harry was currently bringing to my thoughts.

Harry turns around, facing me, "Don't you want to hear about how it happened?"

"I think we'd all rather just hear when it happened?" The Enchantress quips from behind Harry. "Come on, tell her what happened at the graveyard. Or are you scared the truth will make you lose your captain forever?"

Graveyard? Oh, no. Harry loves kicking and destroying gravestones. Did he somehow end up kicking the wrong gravestone or something and cursed us all? Wait. That means it was an accident. Harry didn't release, The Enchantress on purpose. He didn't betray me!

But he still didn't tell you. Maybe he was ashamed? He did mention before that The Enchantress tried to attack me before...

Harry grits his teeth, slightly turning towards the Enchantress. He points a finger in her direction and says, "I'm not your puppet. I'll tell this story the way I want to."

"Really?" The Enchantress responds as if she's surprised by his words but from her tone, she knew they were coming. "Well, make sure to tell her about your little argument on the ship. You know the one where you told her you wanted her to give up. That you didn't believe in her. I'm sure she'll love to hear you recount that."

"You're twisting my words! That isn't what I said." Harry argues, turning back to me and looking at me with pleading eyes."Uma, I just thought it'd be best if we focused on the turf we already have. You said the same thing you said before in your mom's shop. That Mal's turf was Auradon now and that we needed it. And we had a little tiff."

"A little tiff?" I repeat. Wait, did he just say Mal's turf was Auradon. How? And I had a feeling this little tiff wasn't as little as he's making it seem.

"Yes, little. Very _little_." Harry answers. "We made up almost immediately after."

I nod, deciding not to pry into it now. It'll be better to ask more about it when we're alone."So what did happen at that graveyard, Harry? How did you release, The Enchantress?"

"Well," Harry gulps." I was only there because you had business to take care of in the area. You were visiting your Aunt Morgana and you brought Gil and me with you. She wouldn't let either Gil or I in. Claimed we reeked of human. So we both decided to explore the area, and we ended up in this, really ancient looking graveyard, one we've never seen before. It didn't even look like it belonged on the Isle. It was so much fancier and looked very Auradon like."

Wait, I visited my Aunt Morgana willingly? No...I wouldn't. Would I? There's gotta be more to this story. The only reason I would ever visit her was if I was desperate to learn something about my mom. Something I'd know she'd never tell me. And I couldn't really think of anything-my necklace. My mom's necklace. I touch the necklace around my neck, rubbing the seashell that hung from it gently. I try so hard to fit the pieces of the memory I'm missing together but no past memories form.

Empty. I feel empty. Like I'm listening to a story of myself and I don't even recognize that it's me. I have to get the full story out of Harry. I had to know the truth. I can't ask him about it now though. Not in front of The Enchantress. All I could do is listen.

"I was kicking gravestones as I do when Gil fell over something. There was a click and then something rose from the ground. It looked like a miniature castle. The outside decorating was weird. Two giant roses. I'd never seen anything like it before. I decide to go in, curious to see if there was any treasure. There was a ring placed on a stand. It was old and a little rusted but it had this huge ruby in it." He continues.

"So you grabbed it?" I assume.

Harry shakes his head, "Something was watching me, darling. So I like any good pirate decided to take the threat out first. Except it had taken me out before I had a chance to cut it down. When I finally woke up, I'm basked in this blue light. My weapons are all gone. Including, my favorite hook. I noticed Gil lying beside me, so I tried to wake him up. He stirred but his eyes didn't open. I decide to get up and look around. That's when I realize the blue light were Will O'Wisps."

"Were what?" I say confused. I've never heard of that before.

"I'm not sure what they are," Harry says with a shrug. "My mom used to tell me stories about them but never really explained it fully to me. She did tell me this. They could lead me to either treasure or doom."

"And where did this one lead you?" I ask but felt like I already knew the answer.

"My doom. Definitely, my doom. It leads me to them." He says, pointing behind himself to The Enchantress."The Enchantress as they call themselves. They were still wrapped up in a cloak. They kept asking questions about King Beast. I didn't know the answers to any of them. You know I don't really pay attention to anything involving bore-adon. Especially, the royals."

As if there was anything interesting about the royals of Auradon in the first place. Most of the tv specials on our King and Queen and their many royal friends consisted of them just showing off their wealth. And bragging about how all of their expensive things were exclusive and only they had it. How I'd love to throw rotten food all over their fancy stuff. Show them how the wealth-less live.

"That only made them angry. They started glowing, so bright it wiped away any trace of blue light. My eyes burned from the brightness and I ended up falling to the floor. And no matter how much I begged they wouldn't make it stop. She touched my head, then she roughly pushed it away. Saying something in a language I've never heard. The pain stopped. I shakily got up and faced her with all the confidence I could muster." He stops, appearing to be deep in thought and says."Thinking back on it, saying that's all you got was probably a mistake on my part. After that, I don't really remember the rest."

I recall all of my encounters with Enchantress. All the ways they've played games with my mind. Gods, did she-"You tortured him didn't you?" I accuse. I move past Harry and stomp over to The Enchantress.

Enchantress doesn't respond to my accusation. Instead, her eyes focus on Harry with an entertained expression on her face."You tell that story so interesting, Harry. Tell me, would you rather I show it to her? You know, to fill her in on the fun details you missed."

Golden light shines from her hands.

"No!" Harry interjects, his voice so loud it reminds me of my mom screaming at me to wait tables faster. "She knows okay. She knows I released you. Isn't that enough?"

Gods, there's more to this. What else did Harry do?

The Enchantress chuckles at Harry's outburst. And the golden light disappears. Her expression suddenly changes and her face goes serious. "I have other things to do but in honor of us working together now. I'll give you a gift, Uma. One memory." She says as a golden light surrounds me and Harry. Before I have a chance to respond, to ask what memory she's chosen. She says one more thing, that makes me numb with fear. "And don't fret we'll meet again later in your dreams.

The familiar setting of my ship is all around us now. We're back in the Captain's quarters. My quarters.

The Enchantress is nowhere to be seen. Her words echo. My dreams. She'll be in them again. You'd think us working together would prevent that. Keep her out of my head. What kind of deal did I just make?

Harry falls down to his knees, dramatically leaning down to kiss the wooden floorboards of the ship. "I've missed you so much!" He declares.

I roll my eyes but feel as overjoyed to be back on the ship as he. But it wasn't enough to distract me from my current problem. Enough to make me forget. I've gotta get out of this deal. Figure out some way to defeat this enchantress.

No one is invincible. Not even the gods. There's gotta be some way to outsmart her and finally defeat her. A weakness that I can use to my advantage.

But first I needed to find out what Harry knew about her. Figure out what actually happened.

"Do you really not remember?" I ask Harry who's still kissing the floor. He stops, leaning up from the floor but not turning to look at me.

Before Harry gets a chance to answer me, I hear someone shouting out my name. Not just anyone. Someone whose voice I could recognize half asleep. Gil. I look out of the window on the ship and see Gil running towards the ship, still shouting my name.

"Gil?!" I yell back, confused as to why he was shouting for me. "What do you want?!"

Gil stops, looking around searching for the voice that answered him. He looks to the sky and shouts my name in confusion. I lift my hand up and rub the sides of my head. I didn't have time for this.

"Over here!" I scream, and Gil follows my voice to the window I was looking out of.

"Uma!" He yells, jumping up in happiness when he sees my face. He runs over to the window I'm looking out of and begins to ramble. His words are coming out so pushed together I can't make out any word of what he's saying.

"Gil, slow down," I say, but he doesn't hear me. He's too focused on trying to tell me whatever he's trying to tell me.

Harry who has gotten up from the floor yells at Gil to shut up and speak slower, so we can understand him. Gil's eyes widen, he tries to peer past me to see if he can spot, Harry. But it's a tiny window I'm looking out of and Harry's completely blocked from his view.

"Uma? Your Harry impression is spot on!" Gil says impressed. "Did you steal his voice or something?"

I slap my hand on my face, shaking my head."I'm not my mom, so no. Harry's right here."

I move out of the way and let Harry poke his head out of the window. Gil gasps and shouts out Harry's name in shock.

"You guys are friends again! Does that mean we're all friends again? Not that I don't enjoy hanging out with my brothers but I never get to eat any eggs when they're around. Or win any game of arm wrestling!"

"You only win cause you always cheat." Harry retorts, moving away from the window. His face twists up for a moment, anger that didn't belong there etches on his face.

Gil. He said Gil was with him when he encountered The Enchantress. The one who accidentally found her prison.

"Don't be mad at him. He didn't do anything."

"None of this would be happening to us if he didn't open her prison!"

"He doesn't even remember, Harry, and he's not the one at fault in this situation."

"And who's at fault, darling? Me?"

I fiddle with the seashell on my necklace and then ask, Harry the question that's been plaguing my thoughts. "What really happened between you and the Enchantress? And why was I even at my Aunt Morgana's house? You and I both know I'd never go there."

Harry takes a deep breath and starts pacing around the room. "You weren't at your Aunt Morgana's house. I lied, okay. But not because I wanted to. I couldn't let that Enchantress know who you really met."

"And who did I really meet?"

Harry stops pacing because something on my desk catches his eye. It's my tricorn hat. I threw it in anger months ago, cried as I watched it hit the wall and fall on my desk. As I realized I'd never wear it again.

It didn't feel right to wear it without a crew. To wear it and not be captain of anything.

Harry picks up the hat and holds it close to his chest. "You went to see your Uncle Hades. And he really did make you send us away."

"My uncle, Hades? I did, why?"

"You mentioned you felt something when you used your mom's necklace. Saw something and you needed to talk to him before we could ride with the tide. I don't really know much else about it."

I used my mother's necklace. Yes, that makes sense. It perfectly explains that memory I saw before. The one of me in my Cecaelia form. But why did I go to Uncle Hades? It'd make more sense to go to Aunt Morgana? She was a sea witch after all.

"Uh, Uma." Gil interrupts, still standing outside the window. I almost forgot about him. I go back and look through the window. "I really need to tell you something but you have to promise to not get angry at me."

"Sure, I won't get angry. Just spit it out."

"I made a huge-very huge mistake. I may have told Mal where your cousin lives."

"You what?!" I scream.

Gil covers his ears, and says, "You promised you wouldn't get angry."

"Of course, I'm going to get angry. You placed my cousin in that-that dragon's warpath! I'd make you walk the plank if I was still your captain!"

Gil pouts, "I didn't mean to. It was an accident."

"Whatever, we need to go," I say to Harry who's still holding onto my old hat.

"What should I do?!" Gil questions.

"Wait, we'll be right there."

Harry reluctantly puts down my hat. He starts heading towards the door, and I go to follow but a sharp pain starts up in my head and my thoughts fuzz together.

Flashes of images start showing. Until they start moving, revealing a memory.

I was young, and sitting on the floor of mom's shop kitchen floor with a toad in my hands. Mal was sitting beside me, a toad of her own in her hands. She was talking about how she was going to win all the dirty candy we piled up on the floor next to her.

I laughed, telling her there was no way she could beat me. There wasn't a nasty retort from her or even that dreaded nickname. She just held her toad up and did an impression of her mother.

I joined in doing a spot-on impression of my mom. We both laughed until we fell back onto the floor. And then the memory was over.

That didn't happen. That never happened? It couldn't have. Mal was nice to me in that memory. We actually liked each other...

The words the Enchantress said to me before Harry and I were sent back to the ship repeat in my head. She said she'll give me one memory.

No. This has to be fake. It couldn't be a real memory. If it's true then that means Mal and I used to be friends?

That there was actually a time in our lives we didn't hate each other. No, that possibility is as likely as all of the Underworld taking a trip to Arendelle? Impossible.

Harry calls for me, concern in his voice. He's asking me if anything is wrong. I'm taken away from my thoughts and walk to where he is.

"Harry, can you tell me if Mal and I were ever friends?"

Harry raises his brows, "Did you remem-"

"Just a yes or no," I say, cutting him off.

"Yes," Harry answers, hesitant.

And I could only stand there, feeling like an anchor crashed on top of me. An anchor I'm not so sure I can free myself from.

 ** _A.N._ **I know in Rise of The Isle of The Lost, Mal loved the competition aspect of when she and Uma used to race toads but I'd thought it'd be interesting if Uma had a different perspective of the memory. So I thought it'd be interesting to add them doing impressions of their moms. Anyway, Thank you guys for reading! I hope you like this chapter. Thanks for all the reviews/faves/follows. I really appreciate them. And I want to address one review, and thank them for their concern. I'm fine now. I do have a lot of anxiety days. And I wish I could send them on vacation, so I can get like a break for a week. Or like the rest of my life but much like an earworm, anxiety is a song I can't get out of my head. But I'm not gonna let it win. Promise. And I'm really happy my fics make your darker days better. Thanks again for your review. Till next time everyone!


	10. Song

"It's probably just there to scare people." I reason, taking no value in the warning the sign proclaimed.

Lying is the number one rule of the Isle, so no one on the Isle would ever actually warn anyone. Unless it's more of a threatening warning and followed a previously committed act of evil. Other than that well you were on your own.

And a dog...on the Isle? Everyone here knows dogs are banned from the Isle by King Beast himself for fear Cruella De Vil will get her hands on one. Well, everyone but Carlos De Vil knew that.

His mother had his head filled with fear for the clearly non-threatening creatures. I mean, if they're so threatening then why do two Dalmatians have a morning talk show that comes on Auradon TV seven days a week.

Plus, we're villains we should all fear nothing. Unless, of course, it's something rational like disappointing your namesake the most evilest fairy ever who also happens to be your mother. Your mother who is missing. Your mother who you should be searching for.

First I'll find a way off the Isle then I'll search for mother. I repeat that three times and it starts to become a mantra to keep the guilt away.

"I mean a three-headed dog? There's no way that's real." I say, expanding on my disbelief.

I look over to Jay who's studying the sign. There's genuine doubt in his eyes. I couldn't believe it. Jay actually thought this was true. Actually thought a three-headed dog could exist.

"If Hadie is able to sneak off the Isle and go to the underworld..." Jay starts," then maybe there is a three-headed dog?"

I scoff, not believing that Jay of all people could believe such a creature like that exists. "Jay, are you forgetting that Cruella De Vil lives on the Isle? Do you really think anyone could harbor a dog here and she wouldn't notice?"

Actually, there was a slim chance that someone could. Cruella did talk to a stuffed dog that sat upon her shoulder. I don't even think she remembers what a real dog looks like. But I wouldn't dare voice these contradicting thoughts aloud to Jay.

"You're right." Jay agrees, all doubt leaving his face. But now doubt has been planted in my own mind.

I give Jay a smug smirk and give no indication of my doubting thoughts.

"I usually am," I respond, gloating slightly. That's when I noticed an odd smell. I sniff the air, trying to place the smell but end up coughing because the smell was getting stronger.

Living on the Isle there are some smells you get immune to. But every now and then a new stench is introduced that makes your nose melt off your face. And right now my nose was definitely melting.

Jay appears to not notice the awful smell. He moves towards the stairs that lead to Hadie's house and then walks up the steps. Each of Jay's steps makes a loud clanging sound on the metal staircase. Jay suddenly stops mid-way. Then he leans over the stair rail and grabs onto the sign with the warning on it. Then he tugs on the sign but it doesn't budge at all. He raises a confused brow and tugs on it again but harder this time.

A laugh catches in my throat and I try to swallow it down but watching Jay struggle to pull down a cardboard sign was just way too funny. Jay, however, didn't find it funny at all.

"Why don't you try?" He dares.

"Wait," I say catching my breath, and trying hard not to laugh again. I regret that action because the stench hits my nose even harder. I pinch my nose to keep from smelling it. "Why are you even trying to pull that sign off?"

"Carlos is terrified of dogs. He won't believe that sign isn't real." Jay reminds me and all the laughter that was rumbling inside of me earlier dies. If just a symbol of a three-headed dog had Carlos shaking in fear then...oh that's not good. That's really not good.

"It's fine I'll just spray paint over it," I say, then I take a deep breath and try not to breathe while patting my pockets for the cans of spray paint I always carry with me. Except, after my third frantic pat, I realize that I left my spray paint cans at home.

I can't hold my breath any longer and breathe. I try to ignore the stench as I tell Jay I'll find some alternative.

I look around the area by the stairs for something to use. This place is pretty barren except for two empty trash cans that had no top cover on them. I approach the garbage cans and the smell from earlier is even stronger than before. Indicating that these garbage cans are the source of the smell. The smell reminds me of that one night mother forced me to feed the goblins. I almost threw up when I recognize what exactly the stench was. It was the stench of death.

I pinch my nose again, so I no longer have to smell that horrible smell. I look back at the sign and then at the trash cans and an idea starts forming in my mind. I flip one trash can over then the other then I push both of them next to the sign.

I wait for Jay to cough because of how strong the smell emitting from the trash cans is. But there's no cough. In fact, he doesn't seem to smell it at all.

I don't know how...it's so strong that I'm literally choking on it now. I pinch my nose again and I stop choking but my eyes start to burn.

I take a deep breath then hold it and then almost immediately regret it. My eyes are tearing up a little as I stack the two garbage cans on top of each other. The sign is covered enough. Not entirely but you can't read what it says and if we keep Carlos occupied enough he probably won't even notice the garbage cans.

I quickly move away from the trash cans and to a place where the smell is almost dulled. I let go of the breath I'm holding and feel relieved to take in a breath of fresher air. I wipe the tears from my eyes on my sleeve then drop my shoulders in relief. That was easy.

Jay, however, thought it was too easy. He's shaking his head in disapproval as he looks at my work. "Don't you think Carlos is going to be suspicious of two garbage cans stacked on top of each other?"

"Well, It's not that noticeable." I lie.

Jay gives me a look implying that it was indeed that noticeable.

"Look, we just need to get him in there right? We'll just lead him straight up the stairs and he won't notice." I continue with a shrug.

Before Jay gets to comment on my plan, I whistle loudly and try to gain the attention of Diablo. It works and Diablo swoops down. I tell him to find Evie and Carlos. He squawks and heads back up towards the sky then he flies over to the area Carlos and Evie are searching.

As we wait, Jay decides to sit down on the metal stairs that lead to Hadie's house and I lean against the cement wall. Jay and I hear the sound of two sets of footsteps. Hmm, Evie and Carlos sure got here quick.

I call out Evie's name but her sweet voice doesn't call back. A sinister laugh hits my ears like a sword against a lock. A laugh that definitely doesn't belong to Evie.

I know who that laugh belongs to. I groan in annoyance at the realization. It's Shrimpy. And of course, the other set of footsteps belong to—wait...Harry?

I guess this means our relationship is over. I'm disappointed. I mean I never actually liked him and was barely invested in it but still...it almost hurts. Almost.

There's a wicked glint in Harry's eyes as he twirls his hook. He's trying to intimidate me. Trying to scare me, daughter of the Mistress of all evil.

"I see you're back to being Shrimpy's lap dog," I comment to Harry in a mocking tone. Then I fake surprise when I look at Shrimpy and say, "Shrimpy, how awful to see you! Looks like you got back your favorite eel. Harry and I had so much fun dating. So much."

Harry growls at me while Uma tries to hide a jealous glint in her eyes. She puts on a prideful smirk to hide her obvious jealousy but I knew her better than that. Wait...why would I know her better than that? I barely knew Uma...

Uma laughs sinisterly again. "This time I win! No tricks. No using your mommy's name. No magic."

Magic? There's no magic on the Isle. We've never battled with magic before. Suddenly, my head starts to hurt. That familiar stabbing feeling comes back once again.

Yet, another vision. This time I'm not me. I'm flying above the air. I have wings and I'm a dragon? A dragon just like my mother. I didn't even know I could do that.

I remember magic screaming inside of me and coming out as green fire. Hellfire. Now, I see Uma. She's in the ocean and she has tentacles? The necklace she always wears, her mother's necklace is glowing. The vision suddenly comes to an end.

I feel weak like I need to sleep for a thousand years to recover but I refuse to pass out. The song. The ancient song from before. The one that was so different from my mother's yet so similar plays on in my head.

I feel energy spark up in me. Neither Uma or Harry seems to have noticed the dilemma that I just went through. I thought about what Uma referenced. Did she remember? Remember the memories that were locked in my mind?

No, she couldn't. There's no way.

I shake off my vision and the thought of Uma knowing more than me and decide to taunt Uma some more.

"I wouldn't exactly consider Harry Hook a prize, Shrimpy." I taunt.

Harry moves forward his hook ready to swing. I move back and I hear the sound of metal being pushed down on and suddenly Jay's by my side.

Before he has a chance to retaliate Harry's impending attack, Uma places a hand on Harry's chest to stop him.

"This doesn't seem like a fair fight," Jay states, glaring at Harry.

"Your crew isn't known for playing fair, are they, Jay?" Harry brings his hook to his chin. He then taps his hook against his chin as if he's thinking hard on something. "Maybe they get that from you. We both know you don't play fair."

"I played fair, Harry. You just weren't good enough." Jay gloats.

Harry lunges for Jay but again Uma holds him back. Her hand is firm on his chest. Harry and Uma exchange a look that leaves Harry looking disappointed.

His shoulders sag as he crosses his arms over his chest in annoyance.

Uma's focus goes back on me. "You know, I'm not talking about Harry, Mal. I'm talking about the fact you're back here on the Isle trapped in the one place you always felt you were to good for. Tell me, how does it feel?"

I look at Uma in confusion.

"What are you talking about, Shrimpy? You and I both know there's no escape from the Isle and that I'll never be able to leave here." The last part of my sentence comes out with a bitterness I didn't even know I held.

"Do you really not remember?" Uma says with interest. "Remember how you left us all in the dust, so you can go galavanting with a prince and be good?"

She was talking about Ben. How did she know about him? Knowing this along with her mention of magic could only mean one thing…Uma remembers.

Did she remember everything? I need to know how much she knows but there's no way she's going to flat out tell me.

I'll egg her on. Make her say how much she remembers without even trying.

"I don't," I admit. My voice sounds shocked at my own honesty. "But I don't exactly see how leaving you behind is a bad thing."

Uma's nostrils flare, she lets out an angry laugh mixed in with a little resentment. Who or what she resented? I didn't know or care for that matter.

"You wouldn't would you? No, that would require dear old Mal actually thinking about someone that isn't herself." Her words roast her anger, so much so that she's ready for a fight.

She moves closer to me, but Jay suddenly blocks her way.

"Stay away from her." Jay sternly says.

Uma gives us both a cold stare. Her hand lowers to her sword and an evil grin appears on her face."Why don't you both stay away from my cousin? Or will Harry and I have to make you stay away?"

"Gods, Uma please let's make them stay away." Harry pleads." I would really love to hook them both."

"Stop!" A voice I recognize as Evie's shouts. Everyone turns in Evie's direction then I hear a raven's kraa.

I smirk as I watch Diablo go straight for Uma. Harry tries to protect Uma by hitting Diablo with his hook but Diablo easily evades it. When Diablo flies up to make a new plan, Harry takes Uma into his arms and becomes her shield.

Carlos and Evie stand at the entrance to the alley ready for a fight. Diablo is attacking Harry now, his beak pecking Harry's forehead. Cuts are forming on Harry's forehead and some of his blood is on the edge of Diablo's beak.

Harry turns around then bolts with Uma. They knock over Evie and Carlos where they stand. Diablo doesn't chase after them. He flies to me and perches himself on my shoulder.

Jay and I walk over to where Evie and Carlos fell. We both help them up. I help Evie and Jay helps Carlos.

Evie and Carlos assure both Jay and I that they're okay. We talk for a minute then we all head up the stairs that lead to Hadie's house.

The door is dark blue and there's a plant hanging over it. Diablo lets out an anxious kraa. I put my finger under his chin, trying to soothe him as my mother does, He doesn't peck me as he did before. This times he lets me and even gives out an appreciative kraa.

"It's wolfsbane." Evie observes. I look back to her and she shrugs when she sees my expression. "It's in my mom's book of potions. It's a favorite ingredient of hers."

"What does she use it in?" Carlos asks.

"Oh, her poisons," Evie answers nonchalantly. Her expression quickly changes when she realizes what she said.

"That is definitely not a good thing," Jay says. Evie nods in response.

"All we have to do is make sure not to ingest. And I don't think anyone of us will." Evie says.

I put my hand into a fist making sure to avoid accidentally hitting the potted plant hanging above. When I ready myself to knock I find myself pulling my hand away.

I turn to my friends, my unsureness is written on my face. "This could change everything. Everything we know about our lives right now. Are we sure we're ready for this?"

Once I found out the truth I couldn't go back to being the old me. I betrayed mother and everything she stood for. I would have to face that. Face the fact that I abandoned everything I've ever learned for something I don't really understand. For love.

Evie places a reassuring hand on my arm "As sure as anything, especially because we're together."

Evie looks at Jay, Carlos, and I then says. "Cause we're rotten..."

She pauses, waiting for us to finish her sentence and we do. "To the core." We all say.

I smile at Evie, her reassuring hand leaves my arm then I take a deep breath. I turn around, ready to face the unknown. Ready to face the truth. It was finally time for my friends and me to meet the god of the underworld's son.

I knock. Twice. The door opens when I'm going to knock for the third time. I expect to see a boy with short stature and dark blue hair that sticks up like a Goblin's nails. It's not him. The person who answers the door is tall. They tower over me and their dark blue hair sticks up but it doesn't remind me of a Goblin's nails. No, it reminds me of fire.

This was Hades. God of the Underworld.

And I Mal, daughter of Maleficent was scared. I back away bumping into my friends who still stand huddled behind me. Diablo spreads his wings but closes them and moves towards my neck. Hades looks at me expectantly and I try to say something but nothing comes out.

"Is Hadie here?" Carlos asks, saving me from trying to find any words to say.

"Hmm, Hadie," Hades says as if just couldn't place the name. His mouth opens up and closes then he finally says something."Ah, my son. You don't look like any of his friends."

"Uh…" Evie says.

I could do this. I knew exactly what to say to Hades. Knew the exact words that will get us all in his house, so we can speak to his son.

"We're friends of Uma," I say sweetly and try so hard not to gag. It's so weird saying Shrimpy's actual name out loud.

"You don't look like pirates," Hades observes.

"We left our swords at home," Jay says.

Hades gives us all a look, implying he really didn't believe it. But he moves away from the door and lets us all walk in.

When me and my vk's are finally inside Hade's house he closes the door. I take a look at the place. The first thing I notice is a vase sitting on an end table by the door. There's a painting on it of a man pushing a large boulder up a hill. The second thing I notice is how the walls don't look like normal walls. They look like the inside of a cave. There are even carvings into the stone. Carvings of the number 8.

Hades leads us further into his house into a living area, keeping me from contemplating why exactly the god of death had the number eight carved into his walls. As we walk to the living area I can't help but contemplate if one can even call anywhere the literal god of death is a living area.

Hades goes over to a couch and bends down to pick something up. Panic stirs inside me but I find myself relieved when I see he was picking up a guitar. It's black and covered in blue flames that match the same shade of his hair.

"How rude of me…" Hades says as he slings the guitar strap of his guitar on himself. He starts plucking on the strings of his guitar then stops."Would anyone of you like some pomegranate tea?"

We're all silent even Diablo. I exchange looks with my vk's and we all decide that none of us will take anything the god of death has to offer. Plus, I preferred coffee as black as my soul.

Hades strums the guitar in his hand and speaks again. "Do remember to be careful of the seeds while drinking the tea. We wouldn't want anyone to get trapped here?" He jokes, acting like we already accepted his offer for tea.

I gulp. Was that a threat? That sounded like a threat. I have no defense. No way of intimidating the literal god of death. Wait, there's something. My mother. Her name had weight on the Isle. She did practically rule it after all.

"My mother, Maleficent told me to never take anything a stranger offers," I say, praying to the gods my voice isn't shaking. To show that I wasn't intimidated at all I sarcastically apologize to Hades.

Hades stops strumming his guitar and gives me a tight grin. "Oh, I'm very familiar with your mother." His voice is like a double edged sword and there's something else there but it's way too gross to dwell on.

"You're not friends with my son or my niece." Hades states in a way that says don't even dare to try to refute it." So tell me Mal, daughter of Maleficent why are you and your friends here?"

I'm scared. Very scared but it's like hades said I'm the daughter of Maleficent and fear is not a luxury I have. I hold my head high and do my posture exactly how my mother would.

"I want to know how you leave the Isle to rule the underworld," I demand, my voice sounded exactly like my mother's. Diablo cheers, well he lets out a happy kraaing sound.

The ancient song plays on in my head. The new unfamiliar one that sounds like mother's but now I realize it's so different. It's filled with something my mother's never experienced. Love.

I realize now that this song it's mine. It's the Mal who could use magic. The Mal who could transform into a dragon. The Mal who had people she loved and wanted to protect.

My eyes glow green, my gaze is cold as I stare down the god of death."And you're going to tell me. Now."

A.N. I'm really nervous about this chapter. Originally, I was gonna stick to Mal meeting Hadie but idk I really wanted to speed up Hades introduction in this fic because I got some plans for him. And I felt like having a Hadie cameo while great wouldn't really speed along with the plot I'm writing. I'm sorry Hadie I did you like Disney. Anyway, Thank you guys so much for the reviews/faves/alerts! I really appreciate it and I'm sorry this update took so long! Till next time!


	11. Waves

"We got defeated…" I pause, a sharp pain brings a trill sound that crowds my head and silents my thoughts. More memories of the life I've forgotten flash in my mind. And in every single memory, Mal is the star. All of my defeats by her hand drop hard on my shoulders and feel even heavier than the anchor I was still lying under. The pain stops and my body shakes with rage that unleashes itself with a scream. "by a bird!"

Harry doesn't respond, so I turn over to look at him. His hand is pressed on his forehead. He's biting down on his lower lip with a pained expression on his face. With his other hand, he reaches down for the bandanna hanging on the loop of his pants. He takes it out of the loop and then drops the hand that was on his forehead. Harry's hand that earlier covered his forehead looks smeared with blood. I glance at his forehead and see small nicks all over it.

I frown at the sight but inside I'm still screaming. I was supposed to win this time! I had the advantage! I even had the element of surprise and yet…

A defeated sigh escapes my lips. I was tired of losing. Tired of always coming in second place to her.

 _Harry's hurt and bleeding_ , my mind reminds me. Dread fills my stomach as I'm pulled away from my anger.

Harry is now pressing the bandanna onto his forehead, hiding away all of the small cuts that now cover his forehead. He adjusts the bandanna, making sure not to cover his eyes while we walk together side by side.

I reach out to him for a second and reel my hand back in like I've just caught the biggest fish of my life. We were back on the Isle. No dream world or whatever that place The Enchantress had us at to hide in. No ship walls to protect us. Nothing would or could ever protect us here.

I couldn't outwardly show my concern, so I tucked it in, like the crust of a fish pie put on top of rotten fish.

Harry doesn't seem to care for the rules ingrained in us since birth because he looks over at me with a concerned expression on his face.

"The bird didn't get you did it?" He questions, worried.

He stops walking, so I stop too. He moves in front of me and starts trying to check me over for any cuts. My body tenses up, my eyes glance over our surroundings, over our reality, and in the end, I gently push him away from me.

"I'm fine," I respond, stiffly. I then eye the bandanna he's pressing against his forehead. Harry seems to notice this because he bends down a little, so I can get a closer look. He lifts the bandanna off his forehead and reveals his cuts to me.

"How does it look?" He asks with a nervous gulp.

I place my hand on Harry's chin and try so hard to ignore the heated waves rising up inside of me. The heated waves are now burning my skin and I wonder if Harry can feel the warmth I'm emitting.

I tilt his face downward and observe his cut. The cuts are small but some overlap each other. All of them are thankfully not deep cuts but they're all definitely bleeding. The cuts will need to be cleaned but other than that they seem fine.

"How bad does it hurt?" I wonder, feeling guilty because I was the intended target for Mal's mother's bird.

"From a scale from one to my sister Harriet's punches. I say it feels like CJ is kicking me a bunch of times but it's really not that bad." Harry answers, placing his hand on top of mines. His touch exposes the deceit of his words.

I push Harry's hand off of mine and drop my hand from Harry's chin. Drop the guilt that's swimming in the waters inside of me. The waves inside of me stop and the water cools till it's ice cold.

Harry's expression falls as he straightens his posture and stands back to his full height.

"Let's go back to the ship," I say, dryly to Harry. As if the cold waters inside of me isn't causing me to shiver. As if just earlier there weren't hot waves rising inside of me that were creating waves. As if they dried up and now my heart is a desert.

I turn away from him but out of habit or out of guilt I grab onto the sleeve of Harry's jacket and lead the way back to the ship. Harry and I walk like this until we hear the sound of a crew of pirates singing sea shanties. We both stop walking and I let his hand drop. Distance grows between us both and we both start walking again.

As we walk past the crew of pirates someone shouts out Harry's name. Harry's dad, Captain Hook. He's wearing his usual outfit, a long red coat that looks similar to the one Harry wears when it's cold. A white shirt and black pants. He's also wearing his red Captain's hat that spouts a large feather that looks covered in soot.

Harry bows his head in acknowledgment and respect. His dad walks over to us, swaggering with his hook held high in a wave. The movement causes soot on the large feather on Harry's dad's hat to fall on the brim of it.

Harry greets his dad with a mischievous grin while bouncing on his toes in excitement. Harry like most of the kids on the Isle admired his villain parent. I mean, Harry walks around with a hook, so his admiration for his dad was obvious to everyone. But there was something different about it. Something I just couldn't place but I swear I've seen something like it before on one of those weird Auradon hero interviews they always have on.

I remember seeing an older woman in a pink dress with her granddaughter who was wearing a pink and blue one. They were showing off their castle and talking about how awful Mal's mom was, so, of course, I was interested in it. I remembered the girl had a dreamy expression on her face and every time her grandma spoke she lit up like an anglerfish. Exactly, how Harry's face is shining now.

Harry's dad approaches us and brings Harry into a side hug, he ruffles Harry's hair and then pulls away from the hug.

Something strikes me like a swordfish. Something as green as the mist near Mal's house. Something that feels a lot like jealousy.

My mom would never make me feel the brightness that Harry's emitting at just the sight of his dad. She would never even care enough about me to acknowledge I exist outside of being her eternal employee. She doesn't even remember my name most of the time. Neither does anyone else on the Isle and because of Mal now when someone does remember my existence the only name that comes to them is shrimpy.

Shrimpy. Shrimpy. Shrimpy. My eye twitches, my face twists up as I sink deeper into the sea of my thoughts. I watch as Harry fixes his hair with his free hand and my expression softens as I come up from air from the thoughts I was sinking into. Harry always remembered my name. He never called me shrimpy.

Those heated waves come back, rising even higher than before almost hitting the barriers I created to survive this place. To survive the Isle Of The Lost.

"My son will catch the thief that dared to try to steal from Captain Hook!" Captain Hook, boasts.

The members of Captain Hook's crew cheer as Harry and I exchange a confused look. Who would ever try to steal from Captain Hook?

The answer to that question must have crossed Harry's mind because his face transforms into a sneer.

"Jay." He spits out but his dad doesn't hear him and neither does any members of his dad's crew.

But I did. Harry moves closer to me, his dad is still leading a cheer.

"He's the only one person on the Isle who would dare to steal from Captain Hook." Harry whispers and I nod in agreement.

This wouldn't be the first time Jay stole from Captain Hook but this is the first time he's gotten caught. Maybe he's out of practice…

I didn't remember everything but I do remember Mal not being alone in Auradon. Her and her "vk's" were always together in most of my flashbacks. Jay's probably lost his touch now that he doesn't need to steal to survive anymore. That must be nice.

"Seems Mal and her friends had a busy day today," I grumble.

Harry starts to say something in response but his dad calls him back over to him.

Captain Hook pats Harry on the back and gives him a look over. His eyes stop when he spots the bandanna Harry's pressing onto his forehead.

"Harry, my—why are you?" His dad reaches for Harry's hand that's holding the bandanna and pulls it down.

"Tried to steal from Jafar again?" He accuses, shaking his head in disappointment." I told you, Harry, that Iago might be old but he can really knock you off your feet."

"No." Harry denies, trying to pull himself away from his dad but it was useless because once Harry got into his dad's grip there was no way he could free himself."I haven't been around Jafar's shop for years. Every time I go around there I hear the growl of a tiger."

Harry's dad, Captain Hook makes a motion to one of the members of his crew. They hand him a plastic container that contains something that I can't make out but whatever it is the smell is rancid. I move back and pinch my nose to keep myself from smelling the awful smell.

"Hold still." Captain Hook, orders. He takes the bandanna out of Harry's hand and shoves it in Harry's mouth. He tells Harry to tilt his head backward and then he pours the contents of the bottle all over Harry's forehead.

Harry's face scrunches up and an audible gasp escapes his mouth. Captain Hook stops pouring the liquid out of the container and pats on Harry's back to signal him to straighten up. Harry does and some of the liquid seems to have gotten caught in his hair.

It drips from his hair down onto his face. Harry shakes his head, letting whatever that liquid was spray onto his dad's crew. Harry also spits out the bandanna his dad stuffed in his mouth and lets it fall to the ground.

"What was that?" Harry asks as he starts to cough because the smell of the liquid is getting to him.

"No idea." Harry's dad answers with a shrug. "Yzma sold it to me this morning and luckily for you, you get to be the first to try it out."

"Wh-"Harry's voice starts to elevate but then he remembers who he's talking to and his voice softens. "You gave me something and you don't even know what it is?"

Captain Hook waves Harry's words off. "Used to do it all the time when you were a baby and you turned out fine."

Harry lets out an angry breath, slightly annoyed. I can see him debating within himself to say more but he closes his eyes and walks in the direction I'm standing in.

"Does it look weird?" He asks, still closing his eyes.

I eye his cuts that are still bleeding but now also are bubbling up with foam that wasn't there before. My face twists up and I'm glad Harry can't see my expression.

"It—looks fine!" I assure.

Harry opens his eyes, a relieved expression crosses his face. He then lifts his hand up and makes a gesture implying that he wants something. I eye his hand unsure of what he wanted me to give him.

He points to a loop on my pants. "Your bandanna, darling."

I look down at the loop and see a blue bandanna I forgot always hung on there.

I take it off the loop and stop myself from handing it over.

I smirk at Harry and ask. "What's my name?"

"Uma," Harry answers, his voice sounding like waves crashing against a barrier. A barrier built around a heart. A heart I'm sure the waves found its way to.

I hand over the bandanna to Harry. Harry flattens it out and places it on his forehead. He then nods forward, a signal that he's ready to leave. He starts walking and I follow but not before glancing back at Captain Hook who seems to have forgotten all about Harry as he's caught on spouting off tales.

We reach the ship and Gil's leaning against the boards of it. He pushes himself off the ship and makes his way towards us.

"Is Hadie safe?" I ask Gil when he approaches us.

"Yup! I brought Hadie to your mom's shop just like you asked." Gil answers and I sigh in relief because Hadie was safe from her royal awfulness.

Gil suddenly points to the bandanna Harry's holding onto his forehead. " Harry, you're supposed to tie it like-"

"I know what I'm supposed to do!" Harry counters before Gil has a chance to finish.

"Harry, chill," I say. "Mal has her mother's pet bird. And well…"

"Well…" Gil drags the well waiting for me to finish.

"We got defeated by it." I lowly, mumble.

"Huh?" Gil says. "I can't hear you Uma you have to speak louder."

I say it the same way again and Gil still doesn't understand. On the third admittance of my defeat, Harry interjects.

"We lost to a bird, okay?" Harry announces with agitation.

"Oh...it must have had really big arms to compete with you, Harry." Gil then lifts his arms up and kisses his bicep. "But it's okay! I'll avenge both you and Uma! There's no way that bird could've beaten these."

Harry rolls his eyes. But Gil's confidence makes my own confidence surge up inside of me.

"Birds don't have arms, Gil," I inform and Gil frowns in disappointment. "But you're onto something."

"Aww, thanks. You're onto something too!"

"We haven't been defeated, yet!" I declare, riding the wave of confidence Gil caused to surge inside of me. The words I said earlier are forgotten. I refuse to accept this as a defeat. I refuse to let Mal win. Besides, there was no way she could win every time, right?

I remember saying this before. I remember getting so close to a win and letting Mal's prince's words get to me. Letting them sink into the sea of my thoughts. Letting his words remind me that my heart wasn't a desert but an ocean full of life and dreams. Letting him let me think that I had a chance of freedom and it only ended up with me right back where I started.

Luckily for me, Mal's prince wasn't here. And even if he was, his words wouldn't work this time. The only thing that matters to me right now is winning and finally proving to everyone that Mal isn't better than me. That I'm the true Queen of the Isle. That I'm not shrimpy.

Harry raises his eyebrows at my declaration, delight and interest shine in his eyes.

"You have a plan then, darling?" Harry asks with giddiness rising in his voice. "Of course, you have a plan. You always do."

Harry says the last of his words with such strong affection that I feel swept away by the tide it creates. I turn my gaze away from him.

"Exactly." I agree even though I actually didn't have a plan. "Together, we're unstoppable."

"Together?" Harry repeats the word with yearning in his voice. "Does that mean we're a crew once again? You the captain. Me the first mate?"

We're we? Could we fix the shipwreck of our friendship? Was there really anything left for us to salvage? I looked at Harry with questioning eyes. Harry who once was my oldest and best friend in all of the seven seas. Harry who had always stayed by my side even when all of the Isle was against me. Harry who always remembered my name.

Harry who even though my trust in him has wavered is still the only person in this world that I can ever trust. The only person I know who will always protect me.

And Gil. I've known him almost as long as I've known Harry. But this wasn't the first time he's left me. The first time he's abandoned ship. Yet, he was always concerned for me even when he wasn't apart of my crew.

I think back to the charms Harry used to gift me. I always had a suspicion that I've never voiced. Never even really dwelled on till just now. The maker of these charms was Gil. The charms were just way to customizable for Harry to have just lifted them from someone's stall or shop.

With a deep breath, I come to a decision. "Yeah, I guess we are."

Harry and Gil both cheer. Happiness twinkles in Gil's eyes as he lifts me up into a big hug. A hug I surprisingly return. Harry clears his throat but Gil doesn't let me go and at this very moment I don't want him to.

It was nice having my friends back. Having the most important people in my life back in my world once again. _Harry is hiding something from you._

The heated waves that rose inside me earlier are thrashing violently at the reminder. They're taking the ships that hold my thoughts off route, leaving them without a course. Leaving them to scream and pray they don't crash into something and end up shipwrecked.

I force the waves to subside. To calm as I focus on Gil's hug. I think of the many happy memories Gil and I share and the sun shines on the cooling waters of my heart.

Harry suddenly gets in the middle of Gil and mine's hug. He uses his free arm to push Gil away from me. He glares at Gil with an unspoken threat in his eyes. When Harry turns to me his expression softens and he lifts his free arm up wide, inviting me for a hug.

I could feel those heated waves rising up again. I could feel the barrier around my heartbreaking down against the will of the heated waves.

"Will you tell me? Tell me everything that really happened?" I plead, ready to destroy the barrier around my heart completely.

Harry's free arm drops and the barrier around my heart is restored. The heated waves stop and still back into cold waters.

"It isn't worth knowing." He replies as fear creeps into his voice. "Just forgot about it all."

I clench my fists. "That Enchantress won't let me forget about it. You _know_ that. Harry, just tell me!"

Harry nods in defeat. He glances at the ship next to us. At the ship, we fought against each other for. The ship I won. The ship I was the Captain of and Harry the first mate.

"We were on the ship…" Harry starts and I'm submerged into a sea of reality I can't remember.

 **A.N.** Before, I get to talking of this chapter and talking about future updates I want to take a moment to give my condolences to Cameron Boyce's family, friends, and fellow fans. Cameron Boyce is someone that many people grew up watching from Grown Ups to Jessie to Descendants. He was so talented and I was always in awe of his abilities. His talent and dedication to not only his craft but to charity was so beautiful. Cameron Boyce עליו השלום. May his memory be a blessing.

So I'm not sure about this chapter at all. Originally, Harry wasn't gonna do the reveal of anything but I was like, you know what it's time I reveal the backstory. And I kind of wanted Uma to come to a not full observation that she's got a crush on Harry. I don't know if it came together well but I hope so. Anyway, next Uma chapter will be third person pov and it will be Harry centered as we find out what happened. Yes, I am doing ye olde flashback chapter which is like my emotional aesthetic. I also have a new fic I started that's almost done It's an Evie and Gil friendship fic that I started weeks ago. I'm thinking about holding onto it till after descendants 3, so I can add stuff from the movie in it but I probably won't. Like, I may post a chapter later today even just to test it out but Idk. But thank you guys so much for the reviews/faves/alerts! And to that one reviewer, I'm not a professional poet but omg I'm so flattered you think I am. Thank you! Till next time everyone!


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